The Conclusion Arc
by Knightwood
Summary: JF. The final days of the Beast War are approaching, and it's now time to finish the Phantom Beasts for good. But who will make it through the war? And can jarrod be saved?
1. An Important Meeting

As promised, I'm beginning my own version of the conclusion arc. Hope you all enjoy it.

**Legal:** I do not own Power Rangers or the associated Names, places, events etc. Anything not covered by the above rights is to be considered purely the creation of the author.

**Rating: **T – Mild adult themes.

**Timeline:** Following on from "Dress to Impress"

RJ called the others into the back room to collate their thoughts and touch base with how things were going. Everything had been so chaotic lately that he felt it was essential for them to take a breather and gather all the information they had. Dom was the last to arrive, carrying the chips and dips they had prepared for the "meeting".

"We came as soon as we could." Swoop stated, announcing his presence as he, Phant and Finn arrived in the apartment. They gathered around, making themselves comfortable.

"Right, we all know why we're here." RJ began. "We need to sort out where we are in terms of what's happening."

"The starlight's passed, so we're in no danger of the other Phantom Beast Generals being revived." Finn stated, taking a chip. "So we've only got the ones that exist to deal with."

"I counted three generals and eight beasts when we were being held by Dai Shi." Phant recalled. "We've destroyed Unidoom and Dynamir, so that leaves us with three generals, six Phantom Beasts and Dai Shi."

"We know that there's some serious friction between Scorch and Dai Shi." RJ stated, putting his arm around Lily protectively. It hadn't been long since she had ended up being kidnapped by him and almost forced into a wedding ceremony. Lily looked up at him, smiling.

"Scorch is definitely planning something; I wouldn't be surprised if he made a move on Dai Shi soon." Lily interjected. "He isn't stupid, but the key to my manacles was in the scroll, and he knew I'd seen him hide it behind the tapestry."

"You think he wanted you to escape?" Dominic asked, loading a chip with salsa. He was happy to see her back with RJ, safe and sound.

"It's the only reasonable explanation." She replied. "If I hadn't found that key, I'd be Mrs. Shi by now."

"He also left the scroll of prophesy of Dai Shi's destruction." RJ reminded them. "I think he figured we'd translate it quicker than he would. I think he's hoping we'll get rid of Dai Shi for him."

"Well I for one am happy things am not rosy in that little family." Casey said cheerfully, taking Camille's hand in his own. "Maybe they will destroy each other."

"But we can't let Dai Shi be destroyed, not until we separate him from my brother." Dominic stated bluntly. "We need to save Jarrod."

"I think Dai Shi might find his hand being forced soon." Lily said reassuringly. "When he was telling me what he had planned for the wedding, he seemed to be in pain, it was just like when Jarrod took control of him in the restaurant that time."

"We all know Jarrod had a crush on you back in the temple." Theo chipped in. "Maybe the thought of hurting you, forcing you to marry him was enough to get him to break through."

"No, it's more than that." Lily replied. "I think Jarrod's been getting stronger for a while now. I think he might be close to forcing Dai Shi out."

"Jarrod was a prodigy." Finn stated, recalling the day Mao presented Jarrod to him. His power was so obvious; he felt it long before he saw the child. "His lion was so powerful; he regularly defeated the older students, even after only a few months."

"I can tell you that from personal experience." Dominic chuckled, thinking back to their time training together. He cast his mind back through the years to the time he used to spar with him.

Dominic looked up at him from the ground, cupping his burst lip with his hand.

"It's only practice Jarrod!" He snarled, spitting a glob of blood onto the stone. "We're competing touch contact!"

"Is that what you're going to tell an opponent?" He sneered in response. "You should always be ready to fight."

"This wasn't a fight Jarrod!" He snapped, getting back to his feet.

"No wonder you're no match for me!" He taunted him. "You're so weak. No wonder your parents ditched you here."

"Shut it Jarrod!" He roared, grabbing his tunic. "You've gone too far. Apologise before I make you!"

"Bring it on!" He yelled, shoving him away roughly. By now Dominic's good sense had left the building. He rushed Jarrod, bearing him to the ground and began pummelling him aggressively. The two rolled around on the ground, hammering into each other wherever they could land a fist until they were both grabbed roughly and hauled to their feet. They both immediately looked to their feet as they realised Master Mao had broken them up yet again.

"What is wrong with you two?" Mao shouted, making both of them quail in fright. He didn't normally raise his voice, but when he did, they felt his shame deep in their hearts. It was not a good feeling. "Any time I turn my back on you for two minutes, you're beating each other to a pulp, what's wrong with you?"

"Jarrod burst my lip!" Dominic told him. "He hurt me on purpose."

"Is this true Jarrod?" He asked him. Jarrod could only stare into his chest. He hated disappointing Master Mao. Any time he messed up and felt his shame, it pained him deeply. Mao was far more attentive than his own parents, and he had come to respect him greatly. It always hurt when he thought he was ashamed of him. He just wordlessly nodded to confirm the detail as tears came to his eyes.

"Why would you do this?" Mao asked him. He searched his heart for an answer. He didn't want to disappoint Mao any further, but he knew that he couldn't come up with a satisfactory explanation. There was none.

"I don't like him." He sobbed in response, by now lost in his self-pity.

"Have you gotten to know him?" Mao asked. "Do you know anything about him?"

Jarrod shook his head. The two had never really gotten along, there just always seemed to be an atmosphere between them. Neither one knew why. In truth, Dominic had done nothing to him.

"Don't you think you should know WHY you hate someone before you do so?" Mao questioned him. Again Jarrod just nodded. "Hate is a destructive emotion. Do not take it on lightly."

Jarrod nodded again as he wiped his nose with his sleeve.

"You know what you should do next." He stated. Jarrod took a step forward and extended a hand to Dominic.

"I'm sorry." He muttered. "I shouldn't have hit you."

Dominic slapped away his hand, turning his back on him to walk away. He was still angry at him, and had no intention of forgiving him. Master Mao grabbed his tunic, pulling him back.

"Jarrod has apologised." Mao stated.

"I don't care!" Dominic shouted. "He hurt me!"

"So you intend to hurt him back?" Mao asked. Dom looked at his feet. He knew Mao was disappointed in him; it always hurt to think that he was disappointed in him. "There's a big problem with an eye for an eye as a philosophy."

Dominic was finally able to look up into Mao's eyes. He smiled at his student. "The world ends up full of blind toothless men."

Dominic nodded in understanding before turning back to Jarrod. He shook his hand in a wordless acceptance of his apology.

"You know the two of you are more similar than you realise." Mao told them. "If you could just talk together for a few minutes without beating the hell out of each other you might even become friends."

Jarrod and Dominic looked at each other unconvinced. Being friends was not something they could foresee in this lifetime.

Back in the present, Dominic suppressed a little snigger at this. His baby brother had always been a strong and courageous fighter. It didn't surprise him in the least that Jarrod would be stubborn enough to defeat Dai Shi in a test of wills.

"Jarrod's always been misguided, but he's always been a good person." Finn responded. "His parents really messed him up with their neglect, but at heart he always knew the right path, even if it did take him a while."

"I always thought of him as the jerk that pushed around little kids." Casey stated honestly. "I never thought of him..."

"Jarrod carries a lot of hurt and a lot of anger." Phant interrupted him. "That doesn't stop him being a good person; it just kind of...distorts his vision slightly."

"I can't believe he felt that strongly for me." Lily breathed, realising how much it must have taken for him to fight Dai Shi for control of his own body. "I knew about his crush but I never would have thought it was this strong."

"I promised Dad I'd save him." Dominic told them. This made all the other Rangers sit up and take notice. It was the first time they could remember him calling Master Mao "dad" and acknowledging the truth that he was his father. "He's all I have left. I can't fail him."

"We'll get Jarrod back." RJ told him. "I promise."

"I know you always keep your promises." Dominic sighed. "That means a lot RJ, it really does."

"What do we know of this prophesy?" Swoop asked.

"It seems genuine, it was written in the language of the ancient masters." RJ confirmed. "I still haven't translated it fully, so far all I have is a couple of lines."

"What does that say?" Finn asked his son, shifting closer.

"The one who will destroy Dai Shi will be a good soul who has done no good." He began. "He will have done evil, but have no blood on his hands."

"What's that meant to mean?" Casey asked. "A good soul who's done no good? How does that work?"

"I don't know." RJ replied honestly. "It means as little to me as it does to you."

"Well I for one don't want to put all my faith in a scroll none of us can read." Theo interjected.

"It's not all hokum." RJ told him. "Several mystics have made predictions which came true. This was written by one of the most revered mystics. I'd trust it."

"I think I have to go with Theo on this one." Casey stated. "I'd rather place my faith in something I can influence."

"I agree." Lily said in response. "I think we should try to translate this, but not rely on it. For all we know it could be worthless."

"I guess there's no harm in a healthy scepticism." Finn concurred. "So what about Jarrod?"

"What about him?" Lily asked. "At the moment, it looks like he might be fighting his own way free. In the meantime, all we can do is be here for him if he gets loose."

"The thing is Dai Shi still doesn't have a physical body." RJ reminded them. "If he leaves Jarrod..."

"He still needs a new body." Casey completed. "So he'll possess someone else."

"That's it." Dominic snapped, jumping to his feet. "We get him to possess..."

"Dom, he'd still have a hostage." Casey reminded him. "I know Jarrod's your brother, but we can't let anyone else get hurt by this."

"Casey your family isn't the one being affected by this!" Dominic barked, slamming a fist into the table.

"Dominic, we're trying all we can." RJ told him, holding Lily closely. "We all have an investment in this. True, yours is more personal, but I think we all have a stake in this. We all want to get Jarrod back safely."

"Dominic, we all know this is hurting you." Lily said soothingly, taking his hand. "But getting in a state about it isn't going to help him."

Dominic just slumped further into the couch. He felt so helpless. He had only faced Jarrod once since he'd found out about their true parentage, but Dai Shi's power was too great. He couldn't win a straight fight with him, and he had instead resorted to turning and running in order to save his best friend's fiancée from harm. He'd grabbed Lily and run before any harm could come to her, fulfilling his duty and his promise to RJ. He still hated the fact he couldn't achieve both objectives, but he was sure to lose his fight with Dai Shi, all martyring himself would accomplish was ensuring Lily was endangered.

"We've got a lot to think about." Phant stated. "We've gone over everything useful, what else is there?"

Nobody wanted to say it, but the elephant master had a point. There really wasn't anything more useful for them to discuss. Until Dai Shi made a move, they were stuck playing the waiting game.

Meanwhile back in Dai Shi's fortress, he was training hard with his Rinshi, destroying them in short order. He still longed for the power of rinzin. So far its secrets eluded him. He knew he would soon have to deal with Scorch, and his power over Jarrod seemed to be slipping. He suspected Scorch had something to do with the Yellow Ranger's escape, but since she was in his grasp, he found his control over Jarrod slipping further each day.

He destroyed the last of his opponents with his zukado power as he felt the pull of Jarrod wresting back command of his body.

"Dai Shi, are you alright?" Snapper asked him, seeing the pained expression on his face. Dai Shi waved off his accomplice. So far Snapper and Whiger were under his control, but if they realised how he had been weakened by this latest turn of events, then he was sure to be destroyed. The only reason they allowed him to exist was because they believed him to be a strong leader. If they knew he was about to lose control of his own body, he was bound to lose his followers.

"I must attain a new body, one without the strength of Jarrod's Black Lion." He mused. "But who?"

With that, the attack came back more viciously than before. Jarrod's memories flooded into him, burning painfully in his mind.

Dominic and RJ stood with Jarrod in the main courtyard with Master Mao. Today was an important ceremony. At Mao's behest, RJ stepped forward.

"RJ, you have attained full control of your wolf spirit." He told him. "Do you swear to uphold the traditions of the Pai Zhuq temple, to make yourself available to defend the world from Dai Shi should he be released, and to guide those in time of need?"

"I do." He replied.

"Present your left arm to me." Mao commanded. Jarrod looked down at his own forearm, feeling his jealousy swell in his chest. Despite his own accomplishments, RJ had been elevated before him. He believed he deserved to be a master as much as RJ, but it was not in Mao's plans.

Mao's hand began to glow and form into a sort of claw. RJ winced briefly as he swiped it across his forearm, marking his flesh. The deep, telling cuts started to glow and close, forming into a tattoo.

"In recognition of your achievement, you will be given a title of honour like the Masters of the past." He continued. "You will now carry the title of Master Fenris. Carry it with pride now and always."

RJ bowed to the old master and turned picked up his bag. It was now time for him to leave and go into the world to seek his path in life.

"Dominic, you know you will always have a place here." Mao told him as Dom hefted his own belongings onto his shoulder. "By the time you return, it will be time for you to claim your destiny as the Master of the rhino spirit. Go now, and always know that Pai Zhuq will always be in your heart."

With that, Jarrod watched as they both left, leaving him on his own in this place. Mao saw the look of anger on his face and came over to him.

"Jarrod, your destiny awaits." Mao told him. "Some people take longer on the path than others. Overseeing the newest students will give you the experience you need."

"I'm every bit as strong as them!" He snapped aggressively, his anger finally boiling over. "Why do I not get to be a master?"

"It takes more than just strength of arms to become a master." Mao explained. "Once you have learned..."

"I don't deserve to be kept back with these kids!" He sneered. Mao hated to do this, but he knew that it wasn't the right time for him. Jarrod still had much to learn, and his destiny was better served if he waited a little longer.

His parents had neglected him badly during his life, and left him full of anger, anger that Mao hoped he would be able to curb.

Dai Shi wrested back control, once again concerned over Jarrod's increasing strength. He looked out the door, seeing Scorch making his way along the corridor.

He came to the door and watched the master of the Avalonian Dragon spirit and got an evil smirk. Perhaps there was a way to kill two birds with one stone.


	2. A Tiger's Tale

**Additional Legal Notice: **Having just seen "Lion rise, tiger fall", there was some stuff I just HAD to have in my fic, so usual warning. Anywhere the fic crosses over with the script of an episode, Disney owns the rights, I don't. Also, warning about the spoiler if you haven't seen it yet (it airs tomorrow, but I was e-mailed it by a VERY generous friend)

Lily woke in the middle of the night, finding RJ's side of the bed empty. She knew exactly where he'd be. He had been spending hours trying to decipher the prophesy. Checking the alarm clock, she saw that it was now 2AM. She had left him at 10PM to go to sleep, and asked him to join her, but it had been such an exhausting few days, she had fallen asleep almost as soon as she'd gotten into the bed. She guessed he had probably been up all this time in his desperation to translate the ancient document.

In some ways she could understand why he was so intent on finding out what it said. While he wasn't as single-minded and zealous about pursuing the philosophies of Pai Zhuq as the other three masters, who were all but reclusive in dedication to their studies and beliefs, she understood that he had been raised from birth with its teachings, and so their ways were still very important to him.

Pulling on a dressing gown over her pyjamas, she made her way out into the living area, finding RJ slumped over a table, snoring. She had to laugh seeing this, it was unbearably cute that he had fallen asleep in his obsession to understand the scroll, it reminded her of the time as a kid she had fallen asleep under her Christmas tree when she tried to stay up to see Santa. Of course, by the time she had woken up, the presents were already laid out. She came to his side and gently shook him awake.

"Wha..." He mumbled as he rose up, a sheet of paper he'd scribbled some notes on sticking to the side of his face. He peeled it off and turned to see Lily sniggering at the display.

"You fell asleep." She told him. "You know, if you are going to sleep, I thought you'd have preferred to do so with me."

"You know I would Lily." He yawned, stretching out. "I guess I dozed off. This thing's really kicking my ass."

"I can see that." She replied, gesturing to the large collection of books and sheets of scribbled notes gathering on the table. "Is it really that difficult?"

"The language of the ancient masters hasn't been written or read in almost 1500 years." He informed her. "I already asked Camille, but even she can't read it. They accepted women into the temple back then, but they never taught them the language. It was still very patriarchal back then."

"Is there anyone who could read it?" She asked. "Maybe Mao or one of the other fallen masters can read it?"

"I wouldn't risk going to the spirit world again." He stated, reminding her that they had had to convince the fallen masters to allow them to return when they went to train under them. "And if Mao could read it, he would have told us by now."

"So what about all these books?" She asked.

"There are clues, but it's taking a while to find them." He told her. "You see the language of the ancient masters is kind of like Japanese, only different. That makes it hard to interpret."

"How do you mean?" She asked him, obviously a little curious.

"You see all the romance languages such as English are written phonetically." He explained. "Each letter, or combination of letters indicates a sound, how the word is spoken."

"Like 'p-h' representing a 'ff' sound." She concluded.

"Exactly." RJ told her. "However, in some of the older languages, each character refers to a concept or image. A single character can represent a single syllable, a word or even a series of words."

Lily furrowed her brows, obviously not quite following.

"You see this symbol." He drew a character on a sheet of paper. "Is a symbol referring to nobility, in respects to someone with a title or land."

"But that could mean anything." Lily replied.

"It could refer to a lord, baron, a prince, a king...It could even just refer to someone who owns their own house. Unless you have a rough idea what the author was trying to write, it's incredibly difficult to decipher."

"So have you translated many of the characters yet?" She asked him.

"Not many." He replied. "I only have another couple of lines. I'm still nowhere near to understanding the full script."

"Well maybe you should have a rest." She suggested, offering him her hand. "I doubt your brain's going to function any better when you're struggling to stay awake."

"And I thought I was smart." He yawned, marking his page and closing the book he was using for reference. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

With that, he took her gently by the hand and followed her back to the bedroom. Maybe she was right; maybe looking at it again in the morning would yield better results.

Casey turned over and slammed a hand down on the alarm clock. Camille groaned and pulled the covers over herself.

"Sorry, but it's my turn to go to market." He told her. "Go back to sleep. I'll see you later."

Camille just waved him off as he made his way to the main bathroom so he could shower without disturbing her any further. Everyone hated having to do the market run except RJ, but then he always liked to get up ridiculously early. He always insisted that if they were there any later than 5AM for the stall holders setting up, then most of the best produce would be gone, since most of the other restaurants also sourced a lot of their produce there.

Quickly drying himself up, he grumbled about missing out on time with Camille as she saw the dark circles under his eyes. He knew it was only fair that they took it in turns, and after the incident with Lily's dad, he had played the broken nose card mercilessly to skip some of the less pleasant duties, so he knew he really didn't have anything to complain about. If anything, he was probably still in the plus column.

Pulling on some clothes, he started to make his way the door, collecting his jacket from the back of a chair, he paused as he noticed the notes RJ had been working on. He found one with the most complete version of the prophesy, surmising he must have figured out more of it. Reading it, he considered the words.

"The one who will destroy Dai Shi will be a good soul who had done no good.

He will have done evil but have no blood on his hands.

He will have lost his father to duty and his mother to sacrifice..."

So far this was all RJ had written. Casey was curious about the prophesy like the others. Despite his assertions with Theo the previous night, he was curious to know whether these ancient writings could really hold the answers to their final victory over Dai Shi.

Taking a fresh page from RJ's note pad, he scribbled down what he had written and left to head to the market. Stuffing the paper into his pocket, he couldn't help wondering what the message could mean. Was it really possible there was one who was destined to destroy Dai Shi for good?

Back in Dai Shi's temple, he summoned the Generals to his throne room. Snapper and Whiger arrived quickly, each taking a knee before him.

"Where is Scorch?" He asked. The mater of the dragon spirit ambled in casually a short time later, slowly taking a knee.

"I do not expect to be kept waiting!" He snapped, seeing this. He knew this was a deliberate display to undermine his authority. Snapper and Whiger each looked at him a little uneasily. It was becoming more obvious to everyone that Scorch had his reservations about the plan to make Dai Shi the Phantom Beast King, but so far he hadn't made any moves since the intentions of his brother Phantoms were as yet uncertain.

"I mean no disrespect my lord." He replied. It was obvious this was a complete lie; that was exactly what this was. Dai Shi knew that he had to do something to ensure the continued loyalty of Snapper and Whiger. In truth neither of them was really bright enough to think to overthrow him on their own merit. Of course with Scorch leading them, it would be a different matter. "I was held up."

"You need to learn what is important and focus on that." Dai Shi sneered. "Perhaps then you would not fail as disastrously as you did with the Spirit Rangers."

He felt a sense of satisfaction as the others turned back to him, wordlessly dismissing their brother Phantom Beast. He had chastised him in front of the others in a manner he couldn't respond to. He had indeed failed with the Spirit Rangers. Having them on their side now, the Rangers were actually stronger than before. All Scorch could do now was accept his rebuttal. Starting anything in front of the others would only lead to a battle he couldn't win.

"Perhaps one of your brethren will succeed where you have failed." He suggested. "Whiger!

The White Tiger Master got to his feet, approaching the throne enthusiastically. Scorch held a long, low growl in his throat as Dai Shi called Whiger forth. This was another slap in the face for him, sending one of the weaker Generals to attack the Rangers.

"You have a tiger spirit just like the Red Ranger." He stated. "In my book, that's one tiger too many. Destroy him!"

Whiger bowed and left without another word.

"You two keep yourselves busy and await my command." He ordered, gesturing for them to leave. "Oh and Scorch?"

Scorch clenched his fists and slowly turned back to Dai Shi. He leaned forward in his throne, smirking victoriously. "Don't be late again."

Scorch simply bowed and left the room, making his way into the courtyard, before snarling in rage and attacking an unwitting rinshi, destroying it with ease in his rage. He was belittled and humiliated in front of the other Generals in front of Dai Shi, but could do nothing about it because of their blind loyalty to that…that HUMAN! He stormed off on his own to work off his anger in training. He had to somehow turn the others against Dai Shi before it was too late. Then it would be him they would follow to victory.

Back in Ocean Bluff, Casey was on his break up in the back room, carefully thinking about the prophesy as he lay on the couch, thinking about what it could mean. He still wasn't getting any clearer on the subject.

He closed his eyes and considered everything. It was at times like this, he wished he was more like his dad.

He closed his eyes and thought about his father for a while. He had always looked up to him, admired and even imitated him. It had been his dad who had gotten him interested in Martial Arts. Being a San Francisco fire fighter, he had always taken good care of his body, and had gotten Casey involved with exercise from a young age. He had a flashback his youth.

"Come on Casey!" His father encouraged him as he ran around the baseball diamond. With only one base to go, the ball was thrown back to him as Casey rounded towards the final plate. His father braced for impact, his foot on the plate as he awaited his son.

Casey looked at him, a little trepidation on his face. He wasn't an especially big kid at 8 years old, and his dad just looked like an impossible target. He was well over six feet, and heavily muscled, generally floating between 210 and 215 pounds. His thick, brown hair was always kept short to prevent it interfering with his safety equipment. Despite the fact his son was going to have to knock him on his ass to get the points, he beckoned him on with his bright green eyes.

"Come on son, you can do it!" He yelled.

With that, he surged forward with an extra burst of speed, sliding in towards the plate, slamming it into his chest and knocking him over despite his greater size. His dad laughed as he scooped him up into his arms, laughing with pride.

"I knew you could do it!" He told him, hugging him warmly.

"Dad, you let me win." Casey laughed at he hugged him back. His dad put him down for a second.

"I'd never do that to you Casey, it's too important to let you succeed on your own." He told him. "You just have to set aside what you think is possible and you can do anything."

"Is that what you do?" He asked his dad. "When you're putting out fires?"

"There was one time I was caught on the fifth storey of a building." He began. "The fire was getting out of hand. The way out was blocked, and the roof was coming down. I thought I was a goner."

He looked into his son's eyes as they grew wide in wonder, recalling the tale.

"I looked out the window and saw a fire escape on the building next door. The gap must have been almost twenty feet." He told him. "So, rather than wait on the roof coming down, I ran and I jumped. I caught the railing two stories down. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't be enjoying playing baseball with you today."

"Aren't you afraid?" Casey asked him, completely in awe of the tale. His dad smiled at him.

"Every time." He replied. "But I still go. Being afraid isn't a reason to not do the right thing. It's also nothing to be ashamed of. It keeps you sharp. If I'd listened to reason I'd never have believed I could have made that jump. All you have to do is believe in yourself and you can do anything."

Casey pulled back from the memory. His dad was always so wise, and always had the right answers. He wished he was more like him, but now he couldn't even go to him for help.

A ten-year old Casey answered the door to their house as his sisters got ready for school and his mother prepared the breakfast.

"Mom, It's Fire Marshal Lewis!" Casey called through. He had met him a few times; he and his dad were friends and had been for many years. A crash came from the kitchen as his mother dropped the pan she was holding and rushed to the door to see him. She knew he was on shift with her husband, and it was still a few hours until he was due home, so there was only one reason he would be there. He confirmed her worst fear almost immediately as he took off his hat and breathed a sigh.

"Could we speak inside please?" He asked her.

Casey and his sisters didn't go to school that day. His father had been rescuing people from a hotel fire when he heard a sound in a wardrobe. Opening the doors, he found a young girl cowering there. He was several floors from the exit, and he knew she'd never make it unaided, so he took off his breathing apparatus and put it on her, before carrying her out of the building. Unfortunately though, the effort cost him his life. He died of smoke inhalation before he could reach the hospital.

It was then that Casey sapped up from the couch and pulled the prophesy from his pocket, reading it.

"He will lose his father to duty."

His dad had died saving that little girl; he died _in the line of duty_! He then considered the next part.

"And his mother to sacrifice."

He remembered coming home from the gym one day, finding his mom was still at work, leaving him to make his own dinner. He saw a letter rimmed in red that caught his eye in the trash. Pulling it out, he read it.

"Final notice of Mortgage Arrears!"

His mom had been struggling to pay the bills, but she hadn't told him. Both his sisters had moved out by this time. Things had been a little lean around the house lately, but he had no idea things had gotten this bad. His mom had never said anything to him. It was then that a knock came at the door.

He opened it to find an older Asian gentleman standing before him. He was wearing a business suit, though it was ill-fitting and he seemed to be uncomfortable in it as though he didn't wear it often. Even Casey, who was far from the most formal of dressers, could see that.

"Whatever it is you're selling, we don't want any." Casey told him, beginning to close the door.

"Casey, may I speak with you and your mother?" He asked. Casey stopped and opened the door, inspecting the old man cautiously. He was a little freaked that the stranger knew his name. He knew he re-opened the door.

"How do you know my name?" He asked the stranger. He extended a hand.

"Sorry, my name is Mao." He introduced himself. "May I come inside?"

Casey knew he shouldn't really let the stranger into his house, but something about him piqued his curiosity and compelled him to trust him. He stepped aside letting the older man into the house, showing him to the living room.

"Mom'll be home soon." Casey informed him. "What do you want?"

Mao gestured to the couch, wordlessly asking permission to sit down, Casey nodded and gestured him to do so.

"I'll be blunt. I run a boarding school, and I think you'd be an ideal student." He began, sitting down, taking comfort in the soft cushions as though he had walked for miles.

"Me?" Casey asked. "Are you here about the baseball scholarship I...?"

"Actually we don't have a baseball team." Mao told him. "Of course you're entirely welcome to start one in your free time if you find enough students interested.

Casey looked a little puzzled by this. He wasn't here about his baseball? Casey wasn't dumb, but he also didn't exactly have a great grade point average. He had received a couple of offers from some schools for a baseball scholarship, but no one had come back with any concrete acceptances.

"Casey I'm home." His mother announced, coming in. She stopped short as she saw the stranger in the living room Mao stood up to greet her with a handshake.

"Mom, this is Mr. Mao." He told her. "He's from a boarding school. He says they're interested in me."

She looked at the stranger a little bemused. "A boarding school?"

"I have already checked your son's grade point average; I can guarantee we can improve it." He told her. "Our students all show a marked improvement."

"Wait a minute, if you aren't interested in my baseball, or my grades, then why do you want me?" Casey asked, getting back to his original thoughts.

"I've seen you training in the gym many times." Mao revealed. "One of my agents told me I should see you, and I agree you are definitely Pai Zhuq material."

"The Gym?" Casey asked. He loved working out ever since his dad got him into exercising, and he spent almost all his spare money on gym fees. "Why...?"

"Your Kung Fu to be exact." Mao pre-empted him. "You are very gifted."

"My dad started teaching me when I was a kid." Casey confirmed. "I've kept it up."

"Well I run classes at my school." Mao explained. "I also turn out students with impressive qualifications. I think you'd do well there."

"Look, Mr. Mao, I appreciate you coming all this way," Casey's mother began, "but we really can't afford..."

"Your son will receive a full-ride scholarship." Mao interrupted her. "His food, accommodation and uniforms will all be provided by us. You won't pay a cent."

This grabbed Casey's attention, making him look back to the letter in his hand. His mom couldn't afford to keep him in the house. She was going to lose her home looking after him. He had never been away from home for more than a couple of days before, but he realised that accepting a full-ride scholarship would ease a lot of financial burdens for her.

"Mom, can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked her, gesturing to the kitchen. His mother followed him in.

"Mom, this is a great opportunity." He told her. "He's offering to keep me in school, and it's a full-ride scholarship. I think we should accept."

"Casey, it's a boarding school." She reminded him. "You'll have to move away. All your friends are here, I won't see you very often..."

"Mom, I know that, but I have to go." He interrupted her, handing her the letter. Her blood froze as she realised he had figured out the secret he was keeping from him. "We're going to lose the house. You can't afford to keep me here and you know it."

"Casey, this isn't anything for you to..."

"But I do worry about it mom." He interrupted her again, hugging her tightly. "I worry about you. This could be good for all of us. This Mao guy seems to be on the level."

"Casey, don't go on my account." His mother sniffed, feeling equal parts pride in her son's sense of responsibility, and also sadness that she'd be letting him go. "Only go if you want to."

"Mom, we both know I'm not doing great at school." He reminded her. "If he thinks he can get my grades up, this could be good for me. I want to go."

His mom released him, separating from him a little way, wiping away a tear and smiling at him.

"Your father would be so proud of you." She told him. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks mom." He replied, hugging her warmly. He and Master Mao left for the temple the following week.

Coming back to the page, he read it over and over. His heart pounded faster as he thought about it.

"He will have lost his father to duty and his mother to sacrifice."

He had only seen his mom a couple of times since he left San Francisco, and he missed her dreadfully. He left behind everyone and everything he'd ever known to save the house. He lost her to sacrifice.

"This can't be true." He gasped. "This is about me?"


	3. Lost in Translation

The rest of the day Casey was exceedingly quiet. He couldn't believe what he had discovered. The others had noticed that he wasn't saying much. He never even said anything when he made his way to the Kung Fu classes he had begun teaching at the local community centre.

Lily watched him go without his usual enthusiasm, coming over to RJ.

"Do you know what's eating Casey?" She asked him. "He hasn't said a word. Normally we can't get him to shut up when he's going to teach his class."

"I agree he really loves teaching those kids." He said gently as he continued stamping napkins. "I can't believe how much he's grown since he started there."

"I really think something's bothering him." Lily replied. Seeing Camille bussing some tables, Lily gestured her over. She figured if anyone knew what was going on in Casey's mind it would be her. The two of them were pretty much inseparable now; it was encouraging considering their relationship hadn't really had the greatest of starts.

"Camille, do you know if there's anything going on with Casey?" Lily asked her. "He's been really distant all day."

"He hasn't said anything to me." She replied, setting down her tray. Now that Lily mentioned it, he really hadn't said much to her since he'd gotten up to go to market. If anything she hadn't seen much of him. "Do you think he's upset about something? I don't think I've said anything."

"Speculation like that isn't going to get us anywhere." RJ responded. "We should talk to him when he gets back from his class." Both RJ and Lily turned to look at Camille knowingly. She groaned as she realised where this was going.

"I'll talk to him." She sighed. "I suppose I do spend the most time alone with him."

"I should think so." Lily replied, giggling slightly. "Otherwise I'd start worrying."

With that, they all parted, realising that there was little else they could figure out until someone spoke to Casey.

Early in the evening, Casey was making his way home from his class, thoughts clouding every inch of his mind. There was a kid in his class who was picking on one of the smaller students.

He liked Jimmy; he reminded him a lot of himself when he first started training in Kung Fu under his dad years ago. His first instinct in the situation would just have been to separate them, but he knew they would get together eventually and if it looked like the teacher was playing favourites the big kid, Todd, would no doubt just take that as confirmation that he was weaker. He didn't want to enflame the situation any more, but he also didn't want to just leave them to it in case Jimmy got hurt. Now he really did wish he was more like his dad, he'd have known exactly what to do.

Of course, this wasn't his only thought, he was also worried about the prophesy. He still couldn't believe that it was possible the fate of the entire world, the destruction of Dai Shi could really be all down to him.

Of course he also couldn't deny everything everyone had told him. Master Mao had declared him having the potential to be a tiger master, only one week after he arrived at Pai Zhuq. Most of the other students had already been there for many years, but Mao had picked him out for such a distinction.

He remembered again that day. He saw all six of the 'candidates', the strongest and most talented students, being called into the main courtyard before Master Mao to do battle. He marvelled at their strength, and he looked on in awe as the three strongest, Lily, Theo and Jarrod, emerged victorious. He'd never liked Jarrod, he was a jerk who constantly pushed around the younger students, but he had to admit being impressed at his victory. He really was one of the best.

Of course that was before their fight. When Mao called him to wait with Theo and Lily, he could never have expected what was going to happen next. Jarrod was expelled, that much he could understand, but Mao chose HIM in Jarrod's place.

There were three other candidates he could have chosen, all of whom were almost as powerful as Theo and Lily. Even if he didn't want to go that way, the temple was literally full of other students with far more experience than him, but he chose him? He always wondered why he did that.

Then he thought back over the last year. He had even impressed Theo and Lily with his progress. He picked up how to channel his animal spirit largely on his own. He had learned how to use his assigned weapons within an amazingly short time frame, and his progress was so impressive, he was quickly almost the level of Theo and Lily despite their years of training over him. That's when he came to a conclusion. Maybe he was the one in the prophesy. Maybe Master Mao had known all along. Maybe that was the reason all of this had happened.

It was then that a power blast threw him off his feet. He quickly stood back up, turning to face his attacker as Whiger arrived on the scene.

"Dai Shi has ordered that I destroy you!" Whiger announced. "I have the spirit of the White Tiger. As he said himself, that's one tiger too many."

Casey felt his muscles tighten and adrenaline coursing through his veins as he confronted him. It was a Phantom Beast, and he could already tell that he was powerful. He pulled out his solar morpher, placing it on his face, preparing to activate the communications relay, before pausing. He was the 'chosen one' from the prophesy. He was supposed to be powerful enough to destroy Dai Shi; he needed to face this guy alone. He reached back to the other switch, instead activating the morpher.

"There is one tiger too many!" He yelled. "That's one thing we both agree on. Jungle Beast, SPIRIT UNLEASHED!"

Back in the apartment, Fran and Theo were enjoying the all-too rare opportunity to enjoy some alone time in the main room. Dom and Camille were handling the restaurant, while Lily and RJ were preparing ingredients for the following day.

Soft music played over the stereo as they enjoyed a quiet meal in the main room. Fran smiled at Theo as she ate.

"I think you're going to have to be a house husband when we're married." She commented. "This pasta's great."

"Nothing's too good for my foxy lady." He replied, reaching across and stroking a piece of errant sauce from her cheek. "Don't worry, I got it."

"You have some too." Fran told him, leaning across the table. She gently cupped his cheek with her hand, before placing a warm kiss on his lips. "I think I got it."

"You know, we really should do this more often." He told her, moving around the table to her, putting his arms around her. "I really love this."

"So do I." Fran whispered, pulling him in closely. "I wish I could be in the field with you more often. I hate having to watch you go."

"Fran, you know it won't be much longer." He told her in a sigh. He could understand how frustrated she was. While she'd only had one official Ranger battle, she had been on a couple of mission's before Dai Shi's attack had injured her animal spirit. She was slowly recovering, and her fox spirit was getting stronger by the day, but RJ still wasn't comfortable letting her try and morph until it was fully healed. "Your fox spirit's getting stronger, I know it."

"I feel it in her too." Fran told him, calling it forth. Theo watched as the glowing orange fox walked around the room. Although it was good to see it manifesting again, it was still walking with a noticeable limp. Fran called it back, her face showing a little strain from this display.

"Fran, you shouldn't be straining yourself or your spirit like that." Theo told her. "She's getting better; we know that, you shouldn't risk another setback."

Fran looked away and nodded her head in understanding. She knew he was right, but it was so frustrating feeling so vulnerable. Theo could understand how she felt, but he thought it was an interesting irony how she felt so helpless now, less than a year beforehand, she didn't even know her animal spirit existed. She had always impressed him with how far she had come. Not just as his fiancée, not just as a Ranger, and not just as a student, but as a person. She was a lot more than the clumsy, babbling book-worm he'd grown to care for since he arrived at Jungle Karma. She was the woman he was going to pledge his life to.

"Feel like getting a little privacy?" He asked her, getting up and taking her hand, nodding in the direction of the bedroom. "The others will be finished in the restaurant shortly."

Fran smiled at him and followed on. As they shut the door, closing themselves off to the world, they were no longer able to hear the alarm as it sounded, alerting them to a team member in danger.

Camille was the first to finish, making her way into the back room to find the alarm sounding. She had thought that Casey was a lot later than he should have been, but she never thought about him being in danger. She looked at the monitor, watching as he battled with a Phantom Beast she recognised from the first Beast War, all those years ago.

"General Whiger?" She gasped. "Casey, why are you facing him alone?"

She pulled out her solar morpher, attempting to contact him, figuring out why their morphers hadn't alerted them to the fact he had morphed. Being unable to reach him, she knew he had to have disabled the communications relay. For some reason he had decided to face Whiger on his own. She knew Casey could be proud and he could be stubborn, but she couldn't believe he'd be foolish enough to take on a Phantom Beast by himself. She knew how dangerous Whiger was from the original Beast war. Fearing for his safety, she rushed from the apartment.

Casey had initially been faring well, but Whiger had taken control. Slamming him to the ground, he laughed as Casey pounded the ground with his fist in frustration.

"You are pathetic Red Ranger!" He sneered. As Casey tried to get back to his feet, Whiger swiped across his chest savagely with his claws. Casey fell to his back, de-morphing.

He couldn't understand it. He was meant to be the chosen one. Where was the power he was meant to have? Why had it abandoned him? Whiger pounced on him, thrusting his claws into Casey's chest. Casey Screamed in anguish and pain as Whiger began the ritual.

"Give me your tiger spirit!" He snarled, ripping it painfully from his body. Casey used every ounce of his physical and mental strength to try and stop him, but it was too late. His tiger spirit was gone.

"Leave him alone!" Camille screamed, leaping to the attack, already too late to save his tiger spirit. She launched into the attack, striking Whiger repeatedly, though now with the power of two tiger spirits, her attacks had no effect.

"Enough!" She heard Dai Shi's voice snarling from behind her. She turned to see in her horror that he was holding Casey's limp body aloft by the throat with one hand.

"Surrender yourself to me or your lover dies!" He warned her. She could see by the look on Casey's face that he didn't have long left. She struggled to think of a way out of this situation, but she couldn't. She de-activated her morpher.

"Camille, leave me!" Casey croaked seeing her do this. "You can't, I'm finished!"

"Let him go, he's defeated." Camille begged him. "Without his tiger spirit..."

"He may not be any threat to me," Dai Shi sneered, "but that doesn't mean ending his miserable life won't be satisfying."

Tears ran down her face as she heard this. Casey meant so much to her, she had turned her back on Dai Shi for good. She had given up the dark powers of her chameleon spirit for the man she loved. Looking down to the engagement rind he had given her only a couple of weeks previously, she felt the pain in her heart more strongly. She pulled the ring off her finger and nodded in agreement to Dai Shi's terms. "Now let him go."

Dai Shi threw Casey to the ground as Whiger grabbed Camille. She threw him the ring and her morpher as they disappeared, leaving him alone in his defeat. Casey held them to his chest and wept as the others finally arrived, having been alerted to the danger by Camille's morph.

"Casey?" Lily asked him weakly, helping him up. "What happened?"

"They're gone!" He wailed, grabbing her in a tight hug, crying on her shoulder. "They took my tiger spirit, and they took Camille. It's all my fault!"

Later, they got Casey back to the apartment. Despite his usual rule, he let Casey sit in his chair to rest as they figured out what to do.

"Won't Casey's tiger spirit try to escape?" Lily asked. "You know, kind of like Camille's animal spirit did when Dai Shi took it?"

"Whiger isn't human; he's capable of maintaining much more animal spirit power than a human." RJ told her. "It's only his second spirit. Besides, he also has a tiger spirit, so he's much more in tune to Casey's spirit than Dai Shi was to the Chameleon."

"The thing I don't get is why you disabled your communications relay." Theo interjected. "I mean, it would have been bad enough with just a Phantom Beast, never mind a general. Why did you take him on alone?"

"I thought I was powerful enough." Casey whispered in his despair. He had lost almost everything as a result of his foolhardy actions. His animal spirit, and also his fiancée. It tore him apart to know that he had been so easily duped.

"But why?" RJ asked. Casey pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to RJ. He sighed and showed it to Lily.

"You guys remember me telling you about my dad dying in the fire?" He asked. "And how I only left home because mom couldn't afford to keep the house?"

They all nodded not quite sure where he was going.

"My dad died _in the line of duty_, and I _sacrificed_ my contact with mom to save the house." He explained. "He will lose his father to duty and his mother to sacrifice."

"You thought the prophesy was about you?" Lily asked him. Casey nodded wordlessly.

"Casey, why didn't you talk to us about this?" RJ asked him.

"I couldn't believe this myself." Casey replied. "I thought it was all down to me."

With that, he made his way to his room to be alone, leaving the others worrying about their predicament. Casey was understandably badly upset, they were now down three Rangers, and the Phantoms definitely seemed to be aligning themselves with Dai Shi.

Back at the fortress, Camille was sitting on the floor next to Dai Shi's throne. He hadn't bothered to restrain her; they could easily destroy her long before she could escape their clutches. She watched on as Dai Shi strode to the middle of the room, turning his gaze to Whiger.

"You have taken the Red Ranger's spirit. The Rangers will be no match for you now you have their leader's spirit." He flashed a glance to Scorch. "You have passed the test."

Scorch felt his anger burning in him again. Given their victory under his guidance, he knew the others would now follow him unquestioningly. He also knew that last little gesture was a dig at his own failure.

"Thank you Dai Shi." Whiger responded with a bow.

"Now, it is time to begin the ritual." Dai Shi announced. Whiger and Snapper took their positions around Dai Shi. Reluctantly Scorch took his place also. He knew that now they were about to make him their Phantom Beast King and infuse him with rinzin power. It would be much harder to overthrow him once he was also a Phantom Beast, but he couldn't do anything without putting himself in the firing line.

"We the surviving Phantom Beast Generals bond our spirits with Dai Shi!" They chorused, channelling their energy into him.

"And I Dai Shi, bond my spirit with my Phantom Beasts!" He answered, feeling the power flowing into him.

"With the power of rinzin!" The Generals called out, completing the power sharing ritual. Dai Shi stood in grotesque, golden armour, casting a menacing shadow over the room.

"This feels so right!" He snarled, feeling his power grow to heights he had never imagined. "Now, I have three generals. I think I'd like another."

"But there are only three of us!" Scorch reminded him. Dai Shi turned his gaze to Camille, causing her heart to race in terror.

"Not anymore." He replied as several rinshi dragged her into the centre of the room. "Make her a general. I believe the spirit of the phoenix will suit her."

"Please, I beg you, don't do this!" She screamed.

"She is not worthy." Scorch told him. "She even fought against you!"

"I think she is worthy." Dai Shi snapped. "I am your Phantom Beast King. Do you question my judgement? Is the power of rinzin not enough to turn her into my servant?"

"Dai Shi please, no!" She shrieked, the horror of thinking about being turned against Casey terrifying her more than her own destruction. "Please, destroy me, do what you will but please, not this!"

"The Generals all channelled their energies into Camille. Scorch was reluctant to split his own power any further, but this was not yet the time to act. Camille screamed an anguished cry as she felt the power of rinzin flowing through her, erasing her will and turning her thoughts to evil. As the power dissipated, she stood in her new, green, feathered phoenix armour.

"While she is in armoured mode she will obey your every command without question." Snapper informed him. Dai Shi laughed as he approached her. Locked, imprisoned in her own body, Camille could only watch, feeling the terror and pain building. She knew she wouldn't be able to refuse him.

"Your spirits are now mine to command." He informed her. "Power down."

Camille's armour melted away, turning her back to her human form.

"Take her away." He commanded, causing the rinshi to grab her, dragging her from the room. She tried to fight, but the phoenix overpowered her chameleon, refusing to allow her access to it. She was now helplessly under his control.

"Don't worry Camille." He told her. "You won't be in your cell for long."

Camille wasn't eased by this thought at all. If anything she'd gladly stay in that cell for the rest of her days, as long as she knew she wouldn't be forced to hurt Casey. Being dumped unceremoniously on the floor as the door was locked behind her, she looked to her empty ring-finger, and wept.


	4. Behold the King

Casey was far from focussed on the task at hand as he taught his class the following day. Following a regrettable incident in sparring, he was taking Jimmy aside to practice some hand drills on the wooden man.

It had taken a long time for RJ and the others to convince him not to call the parents of his kids and cancel the classes. He wasn't really feeling like doing much. Losing his tiger spirit left him feeling drained and empty inside, lonely in a way he had only felt once before when the Overdrive Rangers had taken them hostage and removed their animal spirits, but I that case they were keeping it in a jar not far away. Now Whiger had his animal spirit, and he had no idea what he intended to do with it. Worse than that, Dai Shi now had Camille in his grasp, leaving him without his beloved fiancée. He was well aware of Dai Shi's capacity for cruelty. He'd seriously injured Camille many times when he was her lover, and when the relationship ended for good, he'd almost killed her. It was all he could do not t just rush in there to get her out, but even with his tiger spirit, he'd be no match for the combined might of the Phantom Beast Generals and Dai Shi. Without it, he'd fight very bravely and die very quickly and he knew it.

"Now Jimmy, what I do is listen to my spirit, and let it guide my moves." He explained, beginning with the demonstration. Only a short way into it though, he suddenly felt very weak. His breathing became hard and strained, and he was noticeably sweating. He'd done that hand drill thousands of times, but it had never taken this much out of him before.

"Are you alright? Jimmy asked him, noticing his exhaustion. He couldn't remember seeing him like that before. He looked like he'd just run a marathon, but he had only just started with the class.

"I'm fine." He lied, making his way over to the bench. "Just practice that drill I'll be back in a moment."

Casey made his way to the bench and hunched over as he focused to regain his breath. He held his head in his hands and breathed deeply as the weight of everything came over him. His tiger spirit was no longer lending him its strength, so now he felt the weakness of its absence. He had failed the spirit of the tiger in allowing Whiger to take it by so foolishly taking him on alone. What was worse is that Camille had given herself up to spare his life. He sighed deeply and felt his desperation take hold.

"I really wish I was more like you dad." He muttered to himself. "You'd never have gotten into this."

Back at JKP, RJ continued to work on the prophesy as the others dealt with the restaurant. He couldn't help feeling responsible about what had happened to Casey and Camille. He had left his research lying around, which is how Casey had found it and misread its message, leading him to believe he was the one that would destroy Dai Shi. He had been proven disastrously wrong in the worst possible way, it was only through a sustained effort from all of them that they could convince him to go and teach his class. They knew if he just sat around all day, he'd only end up feeling sorry for himself and slipping further into despair.

RJ snarled in frustration and threw a book aside as he continued to fail to get more information from it.

"Damn the ancient masters!" He roared as Lily came into the room, bringing him a cup of green tea. "Damn them and their bloody language straight to hell! No wonder we stopped using it!"

"You know books don't talk back." She reminded him, placing the cup down. It wasn't like RJ to get this way when a problem eluded him, but she knew the real reason for his outburst. He felt guilty about what had happened. He thought that because Casey had read the prophesy and tried to handle Whiger on his own that it was his fault.

"This doesn't make any sense." He sighed. "Any word from Dom yet?"

"He's checking on the portal now." She replied, taking a seat beside him. RJ had sent Dom to see if the portal to Dai Shi's fortress still existed to see if they could plan a rescue mission to get Camille back, with strict instructions only to check on it, but not to proceed. He was already down three Rangers; he could live without a fourth going down.

"Not yet." She replied. "He's one tough rhino RJ, he'll be fine."

"Any word from the Spirit Rangers?" He asked her.

"They're on standby in case they're needed." She informed him. "You know they'll have our backs."

"I just really wish I hadn't found this thing." He grumbled. "Maybe Theo's right, maybe it is nothing."

"If it was nothing, why would Scorch be interested in it?" Lily asked him, looking a little unconvinced at his protest. He had said himself that the text was written by one of the most revered mystics the Pai Zhuq had recorded. She knew it was likely his frustration at how slowly he was translating the text, and how badly things were going for their friends that was getting to him.

"I just wish it wasn't so hard to read this thing." He stated. Dom came into the room a short time later.

"It looks like Dai Shi's learning." He stated flatly. "The back door's closed."

"I am not looking forward to telling Casey that." Lily sighed. "Surely there's something we can be doing?"

"Casey?" Dom called out, seeing their friend come back into the room. He ran to his side, checking on him, he didn't look good at all. He was still pretty out of it; even the short walk home had drained him significantly.

"I'm fine guys." He breathed, taking a seat to catch his breath.

"Casey, your fiancée was just kidnapped by a sadistic psychopath." Lily reminded him. "I'd really worry if you were alright. You can talk to us, we all understand."

Casey wanted to answer, but Lily was right. Between Dai Shi and all of his cronies, they had all been through so much that they had all had to endure the pain of worrying about the safety of someone they cared about, and the helplessness of that situation. Of course not all of them had put their partner in that situation.

Casey grabbed his head and fell to his knees as he heard Whiger's voice in his head, taunting him.

"You're such a weak, pathetic excuse for a tiger. It makes me ashamed to share a spirit with you!" He growled in a dismissive tone. "Your lovely lady friend is really enjoying her new home."

"Shut up Whiger!" Casey screamed as he writhed around on the floor. RJ and Dom were trying to bring him around, while Lily looked around in confusion.

"Casey, he isn't here!" She stated.

"Whiger has Casey's tiger spirit; he's obviously using its connection to him to contact him." RJ informed them.

"If you want your tiger spirit back, I'll be at the quarry." He concluded. Casey could see the White Tiger Master's face clearly in his mind as he finished. "If you want it back, show you really are a tiger and come take it!"

Casey started to come slowly around, realising that his friends were now gathered over him, sprawled on the floor.

"That was Whiger; he told me he'd be in the quarry." He explained. "I've got to go; I've got to get it back…"

"In our condition, that's not a good idea." RJ told him. "We'll go. Come on guys."

With that, the others left the room to collect Theo as Fran came in, carrying some lemonade.

"They'll be fine Casey." She said reassuringly. "They'll get your tiger spirit back, then…"

"Fran, will you stop trying to make me feel better." He grumbled, getting back onto the couch and clutching one of the cushions to his chest. "I'm weak, I'm a failure and…"

"Then what am I?" She asked. "I got my animal spirit injured ages ago; I still can't use her power…"

"Damn it Fran it's different!" He roared, losing patience with her. "I'm the red guy, I'm the leader! I'm meant to be the strong one, not laid up on the sidelines helpless and weak…"

"Like me?" She asked.

"YES!" He snapped. Suddenly his face fell as he realised exactly what he had said. He couldn't deny the look of hurt on his friend's face as she slammed her glass down on the table in front of him and stormed out the room.

"Fran, I didn't mean it, come back Fran." He called after her, but it was already too late. The sound of the door slamming informed him she had left. Casey lay back on the couch and covered his face with his hands as his despair was renewed. Now he didn't just have to deal with the loss of his tiger spirit and the fact Camille was missing, now he had to deal with the fact that in his self pity he had lashed out and hurt Fran's feelings. He knew how much it meant to her to help them, and he had belittled her involvement so callously. He knew he'd deserve the dressing-down he'd get from Theo when he found out.

Meanwhile in Dai Shi's fortress, Camille was sitting, hunched up in her cell when she heard someone approaching. Looking up, she saw Dai Shi looking through the bars.

"Are you enjoying your new accommodation?" He asked her. "It's not as luxurious as your last bedchamber, but something tells me you're less likely to wander off from this one."

"Jarrod please let me go." She begged him. "You have to release me from these powers."

"Jarrod isn't home right now." Dai Shi told her. He saw a small tan-line on the fourth finger of her left hand and seized it, pulling her hand through the bars and inspecting it. His mind flashed back to all those months ago, seeing her in her red silk dressing gown, wearing his engagement ring and offering herself to him forever. He recalled taking her into his bedchamber and laying her on the bed, kissing her passionately as…

He shook his head, bringing himself back to the present, releasing her hand. He knew he still felt for her, but why was it bothering him so much having her here? Why couldn't he focus on the task at hand?

"You are about to make your debut my new general." He told her. "Whiger has drawn out the Rangers, now it is time to introduce them to the king."

Camille felt the panic rising in her as he surveyed her with a considered expression. He threw the door open, and grabbing her by the arm, dragged her from the cell, before teleporting to the quarry.

The Rangers were faring as well as they could against Whiger. Despite him having two tiger spirits, they were driven onwards by their anger at his treatment of Casey, and the theft of his animal spirit. After a short battle, he blasted them to the ground with his rinzin power as he saw Dai Shi and the generals arrive. He leapt up to the cliff face they were using as a vantage point and joined them.

"Camille?" Theo said quizzically as he saw Dai Shi holding her with her arm twisted painfully behind her back, the pain obvious in her face.

"Rangers, I'm sorry, I couldn't stop them!" Camille called out. "I can't control what I do, please believe me!"

"What's she talking about?" Dom asked, more than slightly confused. Dai Shi laughed at the question.

"Well big brother, it's time to see the new level of power I have attained." He stated, powering up into his new, armoured Phantom Beast mode. "Say hello to the new Phantom Beast King. Let my generals introduce themselves."

"Phantom Beast General Scorch with the spirit of the dragon!" Scorch called out.

"Phantom Beast General Whiger with the spirit of the white tiger." Whiger added.

"Phantom Beast General Snapper with the spirit of the snapping turtle." Snapper continued.

"And lastly, let me introduce my newest general." Dai Shi taunted them.

"Rangers I'm so…"

"Power up!" He commanded. Camille tried to fight it, but the phoenix overpowered her, rising and claiming control of her in her ne armoured form.

"Phantom Beast General Camille with the spirit of the phoenix." She concluded the roll call. Camille could see what was going on, but she couldn't do anything about it. She felt herself succumbing to her sadness as she knew what was coming next.

"Attack!" Dai Shi ordered, causing all the generals, including Camille, to throw themselves at the Rangers ferociously. The Rangers fought bravely and with as much strength as they could, but the result was a foregone conclusion. The Phantoms were simply too much for them.

"Enough!" Dai Shi called out, causing all his generals to fall back to their original position back on the cliff. He joined them quickly afterwards. "You submit to the power of the Phantom Beasts, or you will be destroyed!"

With that, he led the Phantom Beasts as they left the field of Battle. Camille turned to look back at her friends once more with regret as they disappeared, heading back to the temple.

"I am not looking forward to facing them again." Dominic stated, pulling himself to his feet.

"I'm not looking forward to telling Casey about Camille." Theo added, stroking his ribs.

"Guys, I think we can safely say things have gotten a lot worse." RJ concluded. "We really need to get back and figure out where we go from here."

Back at the temple, Camille strode dutifully back into her cell at Dai Shi's command, before he closed and locked the door behind her.

"Power Down." He commanded, causing her to revert back to her human form. Camille came back to the cell door as he left.

"Dai Shi, I thought you loved me." She rushed out. "I know you've hurt me, but I never doubted your love."

He stopped in his tracks as she said this, feeling her words penetrating to his heart. Camille saw this and pressed the matter.

"Please, if I ever mattered to you, release me from the phoenix spirit!" She implored him.

Dai Shi rounded on her, powering up an energy orb in his hand. Camille fell to the floor, shielding her face and preparing for the attack, but it never came. She lowered her hand, seeing him holding it, paused in thought.

Dai Shi stopped himself as he was about to hurl the attack, something stayed his hand. He looked away from the cowering form of his former lover, and thoughts raced through his mind. He felt a sharp pain plaguing him as he considered harming her. The energy ball dissipated.

"Do not test my patience again!" He hissed; turning and leaving without another word.

It still bothered him that these lapses in strength kept happening. He was the Phantom Beast King now, he held the powerful spirit of the griffon, and yet he still had moments of doubt. As he made his way to the throne room, he stopped as he realised the route he had taken, he was outside Camille's old bedchamber.

He stepped inside and looked around, feeling a warmth creeping up in his chest as he looked at the ruined, shattered furniture and shredded fabrics. No one had been in here since...

His thoughts turned to pain and he felt his blood run cold as he beheld what was left of the crib he had prepared for his child. The day came back to him in painful detail.

"My lord?" Whiger greeted him, arriving in behind him. Dai Shi felt the stinging in his eyes and lifted his hand to his face, wiping them dry. He looked down in surprise at his tears. What did he have to do to stop these accursed feelings weakening him? He had done everything to bury that vile human inside him.

"Get rid of this!" Dai Shi snarled, pushing past his general.

"Sire?" He asked.

"All of it!" He reiterated as he left. "Do it!"

Whiger watched him go uncertain what possible purpose this could serve, but just shrugged and complied with the request. After all, he was the king.

Back at JKP, the guys were comparing notes on what had happened recently, trying to figure out their thoughts over how things were going.

"I think the most important thing is to regroup." RJ told them. "We've already been weakened significantly by events over the last couple of months; the last thing we need is to lose more power by being careless. From now on, everyone keeps the communications relay on their morphers open at all times."

They all nodded in agreement at this.

"Dai Shi seemed to have more control over Jarrod." Dominic stated. "He didn't seem to have any trouble attacking us this time."

"He also managed to control Camille." Casey sighed. "I think the rinzin power they gave him is really making a difference."

"Casey, we can't give up." Dom implored him. "I know it seems impossible, but that's when we have to dig down and find the strength to carry on."

Casey looked away from him, but Dom grabbed him and turned him back. "Right now it seems impossible, but I made a promise to dad, and I'm going to keep it!" He stated with authority. "Jarrod's coming home, and so is Camille."

Casey looked down for a second gathering his thoughts, he heard his father's words once more.

"If you put aside what you think is possible, you can do anything."

"I'm getting her back!" Casey stated, balling his fists and clenching his jaw in his determination. "We're getting them all back. Camille, my animal spirit and Jarrod. They're all coming home."

RJ looked a little happier at seeing Casey this way. He knew that it was still going to take a lot for him to get through this, but he was beginning to make his way.

He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and read the prophesy again. He had since managed to translate another line, but given what had happened with Casey, he knew better than to show it to the others. He read it and contemplated the message.

"The one who will destroy Dai Shi will be a good soul,  
But will have done no good.  
He will lose his father to duty,  
And his mother to sacrifice,  
He will have mastered the full range of his animal spirit,  
And be the first to mark himself as a master."

This last part struck RJ, as he looked to his own master's tattoo. He could remember the ceremony when Mao marked him as Master Fenris. As far as he knew only a master could grant a master's mark. Whoever the prophesy was about would have to be powerful indeed to mark himself.


	5. Roar of the Tiger

The following day, Casey began getting ready for the day ahead. Being a Saturday, his classes started at midday, and he wanted to give himself a while to get ready beforehand. He could still feel the emptiness left by the loss of his tiger spirit, and he still tired far more quickly than he was used to. He started to get dressed, but stopped cold as he saw a small green t-shirt on the floor.

He felt his sadness coming again. It was Camille's; Fran had given it to her shortly after she left Dai Shi since she didn't have anything else of her own. He felt truly terrible she had needed to sacrifice herself to save his life, but he was determined to make sure her sacrifice was not in vain. He took a leather thong from the drawer, the same one Camille had used for her engagement ring from Dai Shi, and he threaded it through the ring, before tying it around his neck and tucking it into his shirt.

"I'll always have you close to my heart." He whispered to himself as he fixed his hair, checking his appearance in the mirror. Figuring he was alright, he steeled himself to face the day ahead. Making his way to the kitchen, he saw Theo and Fran training in the main room.

Looking over to them, he couldn't help being impressed by her progress. She was keeping pace with Theo during their drills, and seemed to have really good form to her technique. He had to admit he'd never have seen her that way when he first met her, but Theo had been right all along, she was a lot stronger than anyone gave her credit for. Given the crummy start her parents had given her in life, no one would have blamed her for giving up on life, and yet she bounced back from everything that had been thrown her way.

Fran and Theo bowed to each other before parting for a break. As she reached for a towel, Casey nodded his head in Theo's direction and then to the door. Theo knew about his careless words the day before, but he wanted to make his apology in private.

"Listen, I need to freshen up." Theo told her. "I'll be back in a minute."

As he left, Casey came over to her, carrying a couple of glasses of OJ, offering one to her as she wiped herself of sweat.

"Can we talk?" He asked her.

"That depends." She replied coldly. Casey sighed deeply as he realised she wasn't going to make this easy.

"Listen Fran, I never should have said that to you." He said softly, handing her the glass. "I know I've been through a lot, but so have you. You were trying to help; I should never have taken it out on you."

Fran took a long sip, before sitting cross-legged on the floor, setting the glass down and gesturing for him to join her. Casey did so.

"What you said hurt Casey." She replied.

"I know it did." He reiterated.

"Casey, I spent most of my life being told I was worthless." She continued. "I was made to feel like nothing every day of my life until I came here. You guys were my first real friends."

"Fran I..."

"When I found out you were the Rangers and I could help in that, for the first time in my life I felt important." She told him. "I trained with Theo and I learned to use my animal spirit..."

"Fran I..."

"Casey, the day Andrew gave me the orange solar morpher was the most amazing day of my life." She told him honestly. "I was bruised to hell after that battle with the Spirit Rangers, but I was happier than I'd ever been until Theo proposed."

Casey looked down to the floor, finally understanding how much all of this had meant to her. Fran took his hand, gently squeezing it.

"When you said you were weak and helpless like me, it took all of that away from me in one fell swoop. I felt like I didn't matter again." She told him. "I felt like you didn't respect me."

"Fran, I was an idiot, I'm sorry." He told her. "Really I am I think it's great what you've done."

He shifted a little closer, putting an arm around her.

"Fran, I had only been at Pai Zhuq for one week when I was thrown into this, I know it's a daunting prospect." He continued. "But I'd trained in Kung Fu since I was 10 years old, and I already knew there was something about me that made me strong, I just didn't understand what it was. You started all of this from square one; I think it's amazing what you've accomplished."

Fran blushed a little and brushed some hair out of her face.

"When your animal spirit's back up to strength, I'd be honoured to have you on the team again." He said with a smile. "The fox is way smarter than the tiger's ever been."

He got up, drinking the last of his juice, before turning to make his way out. He stopped before he got to the door. "I'm the one who's weak. I'm frustrated about my own failings and I lashed out at you." He stated. "I'm useless without my tiger spirit."

"Casey, that's not true." She replied, getting up and crossing over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "When my fox spirit got injured, RJ told me that the spirit didn't make me stronger, I made my spirit stronger."

"Why can't he ever just say what he means?" Casey asked.

"Because the most important lessons in life can't be taught, only learned." She replied. "Think about it."

Casey laughed as she said this. "You really have been hanging around RJ too long." He chuckled. "You even sound like him."

"Well I did come here for over a year before you guys arrived." She reminded him. "Don't tell Theo or Lily, but before you arrived I had a little crush on him."

"I kind of figured that out." He responded. "Seriously Fran, thanks, and I'm sorry about what I said."

"Apology accepted." She told him. "Now, enjoy your class."

With that, Casey left feeling a little better. There wasn't much he could do about the Whiger situation, or getting Camille back, but at least he'd managed to sort out one problem.

Back in Dai Shi's fortress, the generals, minus Camille, assembled in his throne room, all taking a knee before him. It still galled Scorch deeply to bow and scrape to a human, even if he did possess the power of the Phantom Beast King, but so far he didn't have much choice.

"Whiger, the Red Ranger is weakened, and it's all thanks to you." He stated.

"He is defeated; he didn't even show up for the battle." Whiger replied.

"You have taken his spirit." Dai Shi responded. "But I have learned through bitter experience never to count a Pai Zhuq out until they reside in the spirit world. Now, destroy him!"

"Yes Dai Shi." Whiger replied, leaving the room.

Jimmy made his way through the streets, heading towards Casey's class. He wasn't looking forward to facing Todd again. During the last lesson, they had been sparring, he had been winning, but Todd caught him with a cheap-shot, sweeping his legs after the bout was over and belittling him in front of the other students.

Casey still seemed to be out of it and never pulled him up for this behaviour which bothered him slightly. One of Casey's rules was perfectly simple, if he found out they were using their training outside of self-defence, then they would be kicked out. He didn't know what the deal was but lately Casey had been kind of spacey. He had cornered him after class to talk to him, telling him he had the tiger spirit like the Red Ranger. Of course it didn't feel that way.

"Hey, dork!" He heard an all too familiar voice call out from behind him. He groaned as he realised it was Todd. "Get a little pep talk from teacher?"

As usual, Todd was surrounded by his running buddies. If Todd had been on his own, and had made a move, he'd have dealt with it even if he did end up losing. But with them around, he knew that fighting wouldn't lead anywhere. Even if he was winning, the others would get involved, and he couldn't fight all of them.

"Leave me alone Todd." He groaned, turning to leave. Todd moved in front of him.

"You're nothing. Just admit it." He sneered. He brushed past Jimmy only to walk into a solid body. Looking up, he recoiled in fear as he saw General Whiger standing before him.

"Run!" He roared, causing everyone in the street to seek cover. He paced the street as though waiting for someone. "Red Ranger!"

Casey had been walking along, thinking about everything that was going on, but he had heard the screams of the crowd from almost two blocks away. Sprinting onto the scene he saw Whiger. He pulled out his solar morpher, but only just noticed his students cowering behind a nearby car. He couldn't morph here. He rounded a corner, concealing himself from view before activating his communicator.

"Guys, Whiger's back." He stated.

"We'll be right there." Theo told him. "Just get out of there."

"Not going to happen!" He snarled in response, activating his morpher. "Jungle beast, SPIRIT UNLEASHED!"

He was disappointed to find that nothing happened. Of course, his morpher worked with his animal spirit; of course it wouldn't work while Whiger had it. As Theo arrived and began the battle, quickly followed by the others, he could only watch on. With the power of both tiger spirits, he was really taking them to the limit. He felt his frustration building in him again as he stood, impotently watching their battle until the epiphany came to him.

Fran's fox spirit grew as she trained it. Her fox spirit was healing because of her.

"My spirit doesn't make me stronger, I make it stronger." He stated, remembering what Fran had told him of RJ's teachings. He recalled the courage he always admired so much in his father. "And if I can push past what I think is possible, I can do anything. Jungle Beast, SPIRIT UNLEASHED!"

He screamed as energy coursed through him, morphing into his Jungle Master Mode. He could feel its energy so much more intensely than he ever had. It drained him and burned within him, powered by his own life force. He leapt to the attack, catching Whiger off-balance and striking a telling blow with his Claw Booster.

"Casey! You shouldn't..."

"I'm fine Lily!" He interrupted his friend. "Now, let's make one less tiger."

They called forth the claw cannon, holding it in place as Dom and RJ kept Whiger busy. It powered under Theo and Lily's spirit energy, but Casey just couldn't draw the energy to fire.

"It's not working." Theo complained.

Meanwhile under cover of a concrete wall, Jimmy watched Casey's futile attempts to power the cannon.

"I don't have enough energy because he has my tiger spirit!" He yelled.

Jimmy clenched his fists and ran to their side. Casey saw him arrive.

"I have the tiger spirit!" He yelled. "My teacher told me so. I can help!"

"Get out of here kid!" Theo snapped. "You're going to get hurt!"

"No, wait, I think he can help." Casey told them looking down at his student. He knew that Jimmy was strong, far stronger than he knew. "Put your hand on mine."

Jimmy did as he was told, and closed his eyes, focussing his thoughts.

"It's working!" Lily stated. "It's charging."

"Fire!" Casey yelled, shoving forward the slide, launching the energy blast at Whiger. The General flew several feet, reeling from the blow.

"Wow, Jimmy just helped the Rangers." Todd gasped in shock. "Maybe I've been wrong about him."

"Thanks kid." Casey said, shaking Jimmy's hand. "You've got one strong tiger spirit."

"Thanks." He yelped in his excitement. Whiger accessed his rinzin power, growing to massive proportions.

"Thanks for the help, but we'll take it from here." Lily told him, gently shoving him away, gesturing for Jimmy to take cover.

"Animal spirits unite as one!" They chorused, forming the Zords. It was a furious battle, and the Rangers were victorious but seeing that the Rangers were about to destroy him in his weakened state, Whiger turned tail and ran.

"We did it!" Lily yelled excitedly as they cheered. Suddenly, Casey collapsed, de-morphing and losing consciousness in the cockpit of the Megazord.

"Power Down!" They chorused, returning to their civilian form. Dom threw Casey over his shoulder.

"Without his tiger spirit, he's been drawing on his life force like the Spirit Rangers." He told them. "He's weak, but he'll live. I'll get him back to the apartment."

"Does anyone know the numbers of his students?" Lily asked. "He's got a class in fifteen minutes."

"You forget there's already a master here." RJ replied. "I'll take them."

"We'll take care of him until you get back." Theo confirmed. With that, they all went their separate ways.

RJ arrived at Casey's class, finding the students gathered around Jimmy. Obviously word of his heroics had already spread. He noted in particular one student with red hair standing a little way from him, looking on in awe.

"OK class, Casey can't be here today, family emergency." RJ began. "My name's RJ, I'll be taking you for today. Now, line up."

The students did as they were told, respecting their stand-in instructor. If Casey trusted him enough to take his class, then that was good enough for them.

"Class, we have a real life hero with us today." He announced, gesturing to Jimmy. The class applauded at his accomplishment. Jimmy smiled, accepting the acknowledgement. He hadn't acted for praise or glory, but he had to admit it felt good to be looked up to.

"Jimmy, since you are today's hero, you get first choice of partner." RJ told him.

"I choose Todd." He stated without hesitation. Todd stepped forward nervously.

"I don't want to fight you." He said nervously, shifting uneasily.

"And I don't want to fight you either." Jimmy replied. "But I think if we spar together, we could teach each other a few things."

RJ smiled as he saw the expression on Todd's face changing. Casey had talked about his students a few times, and he had an idea these were the two that were having issues. He was glad that seeing something in each other had straightened things out between them.

"Friends?" Jimmy asked extending a fist.

"Friends." Todd replied, tapping fists with him. RJ knew that when he got back to the apartment, telling Casey those two had sorted things out would make him feel a lot better.

Meanwhile in a clearing a short way from Dai Shi's fortress, Whiger sat on some stone steps contemplating his defeat. He was approached by Scorch after a short time later.

"You have failed to defeat the Red Ranger." Scorch reminded him.

"I know I have!" Whiger snarled at him. "The Red Ranger still lives."

"Perhaps we have underestimated these Rangers." Scorch suggested. "The king will not be pleased."

"But I have weakened him drastically!" Whiger protested. "He lives, but I have his tiger spirit, bolstering my own. I have done everything else he has asked of me!"

"Do you think that will matter to Dai Shi?" Scorch whispered, drawing closer. "After all, my Spirit Ranger plan only really failed because he was too impatient to wait for me to completely infuse them with the power of the eyes."

"But I serve him unquestioningly." Whiger sighed. "Surely that has to count for something?"

Scorch just walked away leaving Whiger with his thoughts. He knew that hearing he had failed him, despite having the power of two animal spirits would garner a harsh punishment, one he almost thought he would deserve, but he was troubled.

He had already done so much for him. He had served him in everything he had asked without question despite having superior power from day one. He had taken on the Red Ranger in single combat and he had stolen his tiger spirit as Dai Shi had ordered. He had even gifted him a portion of his own energy to elevate Dai Shi to the position of Phantom Beast King, Did he really deserve to be punished?

He looked in the direction Scorch had taken to leave the courtyard. It was no secret he was sceptical about the idea of aligning themselves with Dai Shi in the first place, and behind closed doors it was whispered he planned to depose him as he had planned thousands of years ago. As he felt the mental command of his Phantom Beast King to come to the throne room, he stroked his chin and thought that perhaps he had a point. Perhaps they had put too much of their faith in him.


	6. Free the Tiger

A/N: This chapter will closely follow the script of "Spirit of Kindness". Where the script overlaps with the script of the show, Disney owns the rights, I don't (but I wish I did).

Whiger entered the throne room at Dai Shi's request, his head hung in shame. He knew he was in for a harsh punishment following his failure to destroy the Red Ranger. Burgrat and Runner were heading out to perform some task or other for Dai Shi.

"Hey Whiger, nice job with the Red Ranger." Burgrat taunted him as he left.

"Not!" Rammer chipped in. Whiger let out a low growl, causing them to run. He was Whiger, one of the mightiest of the Phantom Beast Generals, and they were insulting him? If he wasn't in Dai Shi's presence, he'd have taken matters into his own hands and destroyed them for their insolence, but right now he had to face his king's wrath.

Scorch and Snapper were standing aside, awaiting instructions. Camille sat by Dai Shi's throne. She still couldn't overcome the power of the phoenix spirit to use her Chameleon. Dai Shi stroked her cheek as she sat by his throne, sending a cold shudder through her body. She couldn't escape him. Even if he hadn't destroyed the portal, she knew she'd never make it as far as the door before he caught her, and even with her chameleon spirit she'd be no match for him.

"You stole the Red Ranger's tiger spirit," he hissed, "and still you could not destroy him? Perhaps the mighty Whiger's reputation of skill and savagery has been exaggerated."

"I have failed you my king." He responded, sinking to one knee. "I will accept my punishment." Dai Shi rose from his throne, striding over to his servant purposefully.

"You no longer need your rinzin power." He sneered, drawing his energy from him. Camille turned to look away as Whiger's screams of agony rang through the fortress. Snapper and Scorch watched in horror as he drew the energy of his lifeblood was drawn from him. They both knew that without his rinzin power, Whiger's life energy would eventually run out and he'd cease to exist. They knew that Dai Shi would punish him, but they had no idea he'd wilfully destroy one of his most powerful servants. Snapper looked to Scorch, finally realising they had made a grave error in judgement aligning themselves with him.

"You are hereby banished from the Phantom Beasts!" He commanded. "Get out of my sight!"

"As you command." He responded, leaving the fortress. He knew he would not have long before he disappeared for good. He had to redeem himself in the eyes of his king and convince him to return his rinzin power, and he had to do it soon.

Casey was sitting in the flat, quietly tending to the rat RJ had caught earlier in the day, feeling as lousy as he had when his spirit had been taken in the first place. The others had left to deal with the latest threat to the city, leaving him and Fran to their own devices. As much as he hated being sidelined, but he had to concede that RJ had a point. Without his tiger spirit, his morphing energy drained on his life force, so it was probably best he didn't risk himself unless he was really needed.

He fell to his knees as he felt Whiger in his mind once more, calling to him from the quarry.

"Red Ranger! Come and reclaim your tiger spirit if you can." He stated. Casey looked around noting that Fran was in the restaurant, and the Rangers were battling Burgrat and Runner.

Figuring there was little choice, he ran from the restaurant to face his foe.

Back in the fortress, Scorch dragged Camille back to her cell, throwing her roughly inside. Snapper arrived a short time later.

"Dai Shi has destroyed our brother General!" He stated as Scorch locked the door. He gestured to Snapper to follow him, taking him away from the cell. While he was sure Camille would have every reason to welcome Dai Shi's destruction, Dai Shi still controlled her, and so she had to be treated as loyal to him. "He has taken his rinzin power, he will now be even more powerful. There's nothing to stop him destroying us too."

"I told you we shouldn't have aligned ourselves with him." Scorch responded. "Now he's more powerful than before!"

"The others are still loyal to him." Snapper reminded him. "We cannot defeat him in open battle. We would be destroyed!"

Scorch thought about this. It was not going to be easy to remove Dai Shi now.

"Perhaps the Rangers will be useful." Scorch suggested. "They may not be our friends, but we have a mutual enemy."

"They will take some convincing." Snapper stated.

"Not if they don't know they're helping us." Scorch suggested. "We'll have our power returned to us before long."

Casey arrived at the quarry, finding Whiger waiting for him. He could feel his tiger spirit, and prepared for battle.

"This will be our final battle Red Ranger!" He snarled. Casey looked puzzled as Whiger squared off against him. He could feel that his power had been significantly reduced.

"You don't have rinzin power?" He quizzed him.

"My king has stripped me of everything because of you!" Whiger responded, rushing to the attack. "I will earn my position and my rinzin power back!"

Casey struggled with the White Tiger master, realising what the absence of his rinzin meant. Not only was rinzin the source of their incredible power, it was also their lifeblood. Without it, he knew Whiger would not survive, so he had a limited time to regain his tiger spirit. If Whiger perished before he regained it, his tiger spirit would be lost forever.

"Destroying you will return my honour." He roared, lunging at him, pinning Casey to the ground.

"You want your honour! I want my tiger spirit!" Casey yelled in response, placing a hand on his chest. He began to draw his spirit back, but Whiger swept his hand from his chest. Without the power of both spirits, he was sure to exhaust his life energy far more quickly.

"It's over Red Ranger!" Whiger screamed, grabbing him and attempting to drive him over a cliff, though instead of resisting him, Casey sidestepped him, causing Whiger's own momentum to carry him over the cliff. Without thinking, Casey threw himself after him, grabbing his arm.

"Let me fall!" Whiger demanded. "I have been disgraced."

"I'm not going to defeat you like this." Casey told him, pulling him back up. Whiger eyed him in amazement.

"You could have let me fall." He stated. "Your spirit would have returned to you, you know what you're risking if I disappear before your spirit is released."

"I couldn't just let you die." Casey replied. "I know the risks."

"I owe you my life." Whiger continued. "My time is short, but I will return to you what I have taken."

Casey heard his morpher bleeping. Putting it on, he found himself unable to contact any of the others.

"Burgrat and Rammer were gathering the citizens, they must have your friends." He told him.

"Do you know where they're being kept?" Casey asked him. "If you really want to repay me, take me to them."

"I know where they'll have gone." Whiger confirmed. "Follow me, my time grows short."

The other Rangers came to inside a metal cage, dangling in the middle of a gigantic room.

"Where are we?" Theo asked, looking around. "This looks really familiar."

"It should." RJ stated. "It's a rat trap, just like the one I used to catch Maurice."

"I can't believe you gave that thing a name." Lily grumbled.

"I can't believe you're scared a rat." He replied with a chuckle at her expense. "I thought it was spiders you were scared of."

"So a girl isn't allowed more than one phobia?" She moaned, shoving him a little.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but can we focus for a minute?" Dom interrupted. "RJ, you know about these traps, how do you open them?"

"Very easily." He responded. "Unless you're inside them. The release catch is on the outside."

"Guys?" They heard Casey's voice calling out. Shortly afterwards, he and Whiger appeared in the room. "Where are you?"

"We're in here!" Lily called out. "Let us out!"

"I'm afraid that isn't going to happen." Camille interjected, arriving in the room. Casey backed away, keeping her in view. She was in her armoured phoenix mode, so he knew she had no control over what she was doing. "A Ranger without his spirit, and a Phantom Beast without his rinzin? A stiff wind would knock you down."

"Camille, I don't want to fight you." Casey told her. "I don't want to hurt you, please you have to fight this."

Camille rushed to the attack, knocking him to the floor dismissively. Her hands formed into Talons, tearing and slashing at him savagely.

"Camille, please stop this!" He begged her. She slashed him across the chest, tearing open his t-shirt. She was about to strike again, but suddenly stopped in her tracks. Camille felt her heart beating faster as she saw the engagement ring hanging on his necklace, finding her thoughts racing back to her of her love for him. Her hand shook as she struggled against her phoenix spirit.

"White tiger spirit!" Whiger called out, unleashing his animal spirit against her. Camille was thrown across the room, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. She got up, leaving without another word. Whiger collapsed to his knees, weakened by the effort.

"My debt to you is repaid Red Ranger." He stated, releasing Casey's red tiger spirit. Casey felt it return to him, once more infusing him with its power. "You must destroy Dai Shi for the sake of all tigers."

"I will Whiger." He responded. "Thank you."

With that, the White Tiger master disappeared, vanishing into thin air, as his energy finally failed him, disappearing from existence.

"Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!" He called out, morphing into his Ranger form. A few slashes from his Shark Sabres later, and the citizens were released.

"You got your tiger spirit back!" Theo yelled.

"Good thing too." RJ added as their morphers bleeped. "It looks like Burgrat and Rammer are back."

Casey looked to the door in the direction Camille had left. Seeing this, Lily put a hand on his shoulder.

"She stopped, she's still in there." She reminded him. "We'll get her back, but right now we have to deal with this."

"I know." He sighed. "Come on guys, let's get going."

Later in the evening after the battle, Lily found RJ sitting alone in the back room, once again immersed in research. She came over to his side, kissing his cheek.

"You should be downstairs with us celebrating." She stated sagely. "We've defeated two more Phantom Beasts, and Dai Shi's down a general."

"A general he all but destroyed himself." RJ reminded her with a sigh. "He took his rinzin, he's now more powerful."

"It's a shame about Whiger." She replied. "I never thought a Phantom Beast would help us."

"The tiger is a noble animal." He confirmed. "He satisfied his honour before he was destroyed."

"So why are you so miserable?" She asked him. "You're not missing Maurice are you?"

"No, I'm glad that little girl got her pet back." He told her. "I know things are looking better than they were yesterday, but I can't help being worried about Casey."

"He's been really quiet." Lily told him. "I suppose I can't blame him, he did have to fight Camille."

"He handled himself admirably throughout this whole business." RJ agreed. "I just wish there was more we could do to return Camille."

Please, come and join us." She reiterated. "We've got nachos."

"That sounds really good." He replied. "Besides, I'm not much closer to figuring out this prophesy. I've only translated another line."

"You'll figure it out." Lily said reassuringly. "What more did you figure out?"

He handed her the note he had written of his updated version of the prophesy. Lily checked it over, reading it aloud.

"The one who will destroy Dai Shi will be a good soul,  
But will have done no good.  
He will lose his father to duty,  
And his mother to sacrifice,  
He will have mastered the full range of his animal spirit,  
And be the first to mark himself as a master.  
His blood will be his enemy."


	7. The Perils of Eavesdropping

Lily woke up during the night, finding the other side of the bed empty. She saw that the light was on in the living room. She made her way over to the door, intending to speak with RJ, but found herself stopping short as she realised he was talking to someone.

She opened the door ajar, peering inside, realising that he was in fact alone. She could see him pacing the room. As he turned, she could see him holding the phone and the scene made more sense. He was phoning someone.

"That's right Phant; I think we should wait a while." He stated. "I'm worried about one of them."

She furrowed her brows as she heard him say this. Why was he calling Phant at this time of the morning?

"Look, I know you and the others think the time is right, but it might be best to wait a while." RJ continued. "Because the test is something they need to be ready for."

"What test?" Lily asked herself. She knew that if RJ was having this conversation without her there, there was probably a reason, but she couldn't help being curious.

"I know they've earned the right to take the test, but becoming a master is a big thing." He continued. "I'd rather wait until I'm sure they're all ready."

Lily held her hand over her mouth to prevent her gasp giving away the fact she was eavesdropping. They were talking about the ritual test. Apparently the masters wanted the Rangers to take the test to ascend to the rank of masters.

She looked to her forearm, imagining getting marked as a master. This was what she and the others had been training towards. She couldn't believe that the day was approaching when they'd be given the trial. It was then that the realisation came to her and she remembered what else he had said. He was worried about one of them.

"They're all great students, I'd trust any one of them with my life, but the trial..." he sighed as Phant continued to speak. "I know the trial has to take place during the right moon phase, but that happens every couple of months. Couldn't we wait one more cycle?"

Lily again had to restrain herself. From the way he was talking, it seemed like they were going to be put through the ritual sometime soon. But who could he be concerned about? She left the door and went back to the bed, drawing herself under the covers as she thought about herself and the others in detail.

The masters were a secretive lot at the best of times. Rumours existed at the temple about the exact nature of the trial. Everyone knew that to ensure the strength of their masters, many of the traditions of Pai Zhuq were quite anachronistic, cruel and in many cases outright sadistic. Even RJ hadn't explained to her what he had to do to earn his own stripes.

She still had unpleasant memories of the time RJ had been forced into a trial by combat against Master Finn, his own father, when they found out about his relationship with Lily, and while it was all just a test, they had beaten each other savagely since RJ was led to believe it was a genuine battle. Whatever they had planned, it was unlikely to be easy, or pleasant. It might not be a case of whether or not they passed, as ait was whether or not they survived.

She had known Theo the longest, both of them had been training for almost six years together. They had been through so much together, it seemed only right they'd be taking their trial together.

He'd had his moments over the years. When she first met him, he was more of a danger to himself than his opponent with the tonfa, and he was always so nervous when he first started.

Of course over time his discipline and focus had reaped impressive results. His confidence grew, and he was now one of the most accomplished students she knew. He regularly bested the others in individual sparring, and while his confidence was occasionally a little wearing, especially to Casey at first, and could be extremely harmful to him when it took a hit, as long as he believed in himself, he seemed to be capable of almost anything.

She knew how much it would mean to Theo to get his master's mark. He'd talked about it almost non-stop since he'd met her. He'd worked harder than anyone she had ever met, and had been focused to the point of obsession in mastering his technique. Although she was concerned what it would do to his confidence if he failed, she couldn't believe her fears had any real grounding. There was no way she had any concerns Theo wouldn't make it, he was sure to earn his stripes.

Dominic had been away from Pai Zhuq for a long time, and she knew his training had suffered a little as a result, but he had quickly gotten back into his stride. RJ had told them many times that he was almost considered for his trial before he left, and it was only Master Mao asking him to travel to find himself that prevented him being chosen as a defender.

He had impressed her many times with his dedication to the battle with Dai Shi. Even before the truth of his family ties to the conflict, he had dedicated himself to the conflict in a way she couldn't believe.

She had to try hard not to laugh now as she remembered the first time she'd met him. He had posed as an inspector with the health department and had gotten them all into a blind panic about the thought of being shut down before RJ found him and let them in on the joke. They hadn't been amused at the time, Casey least of all considering the tomato incident, but having gotten to know him, she could now see the funny side.

That said, having failed to make much of a first impression, they couldn't see past the image of him as a goofball at first, he seemed to be doomed to screw up everything he did to help, and Theo at one point thought he was making moves on Fran which did no good for his acceptance into the group. However, many of his failures had been as a result of his determination to prove himself to the group.

The fact his animal spirit overpowered his rhino morpher at first gave them some indication of the raw power at his disposal. He went without a second thought to the rhino nexus as soon as he realised Master Mao's intentions for his animal spirit. He fought Dai Shi alone with no Ranger powers and bested him in the scramble to open the nexus and release the power of the rhino spirit.

He had also overcome a personal shock that would have shaken any of them. Finding out that not only was Master Mao really his father, but that for the last couple of months he'd been fighting against his only brother had shaken him up terribly. No one could really blame him for taking a while to get over that, but if anything it just gave him renewed determination to destroy Dai Shi so that he could free Jarrod from his clutches. If he could come through all of that, then he was sure to be ready for any sadistic ritual the masters could come up with.

She always worried about Casey; he had been like a kid brother to her since he had become a part of the group. At first she mothered him slightly because of his inexperience and naivety about the ways of the temple. She had even defended him against Theo in the early days when he dismissed him as a cub.

But over time the nature of their relationship had changed. While he was a novice as far as Pai Zhuq was concerned, he had been studying Kung Fu for years before he arrived, and was an accomplished martial artist in his own right, just one of the reasons he resented Theo's dismissive attitude. The two of them had butted heads many times in the early days, but they slowly came around to accept and respect each other. She was impressed by how quickly he picked up his game, and how his determination to succeed had caused him to attain a level easily rivalling that of herself and Theo.

She also had to be impressed at his emotional growth. Being the only boy in the household growing up, he had been slightly coddled by his mother and his sisters and was more than a little immature when he came to them at first. He was used to being surrounded by females, which led to the rather awkward 'little brother' conversation early on when he was sure they were becoming more than friends. Despite saying he was cool with it, she knew his ego had taken a bit of a hit with that one, she got the impression he was used to getting his own way when it came to the women in his life.

But over time he like the others had been through so much that he had grown up considerably. RJ had taken him under his wing, and despite not being that much older than him, Casey took him to be a surrogate father. Losing his own dad at such a young age, he wasn't used to having a male role model to look up to, but RJ had taught him so much more than just improving his martial arts.

His relationship with Camille had also helped him to grow emotionally. It had been hard going in the early days, especially since it began with Casey once again slipping into his self-imposed role as the 'man of the house' and being very protective of her; he had come to see so much in her that in the end they ended up falling for each other. Lily wasn't keen on the relationship at first, nobody was. That said, in the following months Casey grew up so much no one could deny that his first real adult relationship had done wonders for him. Lily now didn't see him as a little brother needing to be looked after, he was a little brother that made her proud, and impressed him.

The recent incident involving Whiger and Camille had shaken him to his core, and she was worried it might just force him to regress, but if anything his battle to regain his tiger spirit had strengthened him. Forcing Camille to face him had if anything renewed hope that they would somehow be able to get her back. He had managed to get through the loss of his tiger spirit and get it back without losing his compassion in the process. No, it wasn't Casey that could concern RJ, he knew how strong he was, that couldn't be what he meant. She felt her chest tighten as she thought about it. If he wasn't worried about the others, then that only left one other conclusion, he was worried about her.

Lily had to admit not always being as focused as she could be. It hadn't been long ago she had ended up being kidnapped because she was paying more attention to her wedding dress than the training session she was meant to be taking part in.

She was a skilled fighter, but she'd also had her moments of weakness. She had allowed herself to be manipulated into dropping her guard on a few occasions. Camille had totally played her for a sucker when she was upset about Carnisoar's mistreatment of Dai Shi. She had managed to convince her to walk willingly into an almost hopeless battle against her by kidnapping RJ.

Doubts wracked her mind as she remembered all of the things that had happened with her. She had been so wrapped up in an argument with RJ she never even registered that something was seriously wrong with him when he was out of balance with his wolf spirit. That mistake had almost cost Lily her life as he turned into his beast form before she could run. She didn't listen to him as he ordered her to run; she just stood there frozen to the spot and ended up being used as a chew toy as a result.

Even Munkeywi had treated her as a punching bag. Between her injuries at RJ's hands and her concerns for him, her head was so far out of the battle that she'd made hardly any impact at all on the direction of the outcome. If anything all she accomplished was getting herself thrown around like a rag doll.

Even her own father had almost died trying to protect her from Dai Shi. He had called on the full power of his mandrill spirit despite knowing how it affected him because she had been hurt during the battle. He barely survived the resulting coma.

She sighed and wiped away a tear as she lay in the bed under the covers. No wonder RJ had doubts about her. Thinking about it, she really had messed up more than a few times over the last few months. It was sheer luck she hadn't cost someone their life. She heard the door open and lay still, feigning sleep as RJ came back into the room.

He pulled up the covers, sliding back into the bed as carefully as he could. He still wasn't convinced about Phant's insistence that the Rangers were ready to undergo the trial. Things were already tough enough for them without putting them through that ordeal. Remembering his own trial, he was glad he only had to go through it once. He really wasn't looking forward to putting them through that. As he put his arm around Lily, she stirred by reflex. RJ felt a little hint of guilt.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"More research?" Lily asked in a small voice, holding back some more tears.

"Something like that." He answered. "Get some sleep."

Lily pulled his arm around her, getting a look at his master's tattoo, feeling her doubts turning to regret. With all the thoughts running around in her head, and the uncertainty of what the future held in her heart, she knew that was asking too much. There was no way she was getting any sleep tonight.


	8. Lily's Confidence

Lily couldn't remember when exactly the sun rose, but at some point the light had risen to the point it was now shining through the blinds. It had been RJ's turn to go to the market, so he had gotten up gently in an attempt not to wake her, but she hadn't been sleeping anyway. How could she? She now knew he had no faith in her to pass her trial.

She had spent the remainder of the night torturing herself with thought of failure after failure that had been her fault over the months. She didn't have to try hard to convince herself she was a complete screw up; there was plenty of evidence for that. She heard a knock on the door and RJ came in, carrying a stack of toast.

"Are you planning to stay in there all day?" He asked her. "We're going to start training in about an hour. You've got time to get changed."

Lily pulled back the covers and made her way into the en suite. She got in a little before the shower had gotten to temperature, hoping the icy water would help her wake up a little. As much as she hadn't been able to sleep, that didn't mean she was anywhere near fully awake. By the time the shower finally got to temperature, she was at least a little closer to being awake. Washing her hair quickly, she made her way back through to the bedroom.

She looked out her training gear, getting dressed as she checked her appearance in the mirror. A couple of dark circles had begun to form under her eyes; she was a little paler than usual. She looked like crap and she knew it, but there wasn't anything she could do about that right now, the others were waiting on her in the training area. Sorting her hair out into a pony-tail so it didn't fall into her face, she noticed the stack of toast sitting on the sideboard. Unable to face it, she swept it quickly into the trash before making her way out to the main room.

RJ, as he had been, was busy going through therapeutic meditation with Fran as part of the healing process for her animal spirit. She was now being encouraged to call it forth for short periods to strengthen it. In many ways she was glad that RJ was concentrating on Fran right now, it meant he wouldn't notice that she wasn't herself.

Looking over, she saw Fran's fox spirit. It was so much stronger, she knew it wouldn't be long until she was back up to speed and ready to rejoin the team.

"She's really strong now." RJ confirmed to Fran as she recalled it. "I think it'll only be a couple of days until you're ready to rejoin the team."

"You really think so?" Fran asked him.

"I'm sure of it." RJ replied. "Not a moment too soon either. I have a feeling I'll need some support around here in a couple of days."

Lily hung her head and made her way to the training mats as she overheard this. He knew what he was talking about having heard his phone conversation the previous night. She knew the trial was coming soon, and since RJ was talking about bringing Fran back onto the team to help him out in a couple of days, that meant it was likely to be coming in a couple of days time. She still had no idea what the trial was likely to be, but it obviously had to be harsh if RJ was already making provisions for having to deal with Dai Shi alone during the period of the trial.

"Lily, you're up." Casey told her, gesturing to the mat. "You get to spar with me for a while."

Lily sighed and took her place on the mat slowly, drawing into a guard as Casey prepared himself for their match.

"Three points to a finish?" Casey asked her. Lily just nodded wordlessly, not really paying attention. Her thoughts strayed again to the upcoming trial. What could they possibly expect of her? What could they really think she could...?

Her thoughts were interrupted as her legs were whipped from under her and she crashed to the floor without offering any form of resistance or counter. Casey would have followed up, but his front sweep had been a mere feint. There's no way that should have caught Lily out like that, she should have easily been able to avoid it.

"Lily, are you ok?" Casey asked her, offering her a hand. Lily took it, allowing him to help her back to her feet. She hadn't even seen the attack coming. She'd been too busy worrying about...

Before she knew it, Casey had taken her to the floor again, and had her locked in a strong arm lock. By now even Dom and Theo were beginning to notice something was odd about the way she was acting. Although Casey was good, and had trained to the point he was a match for her, there was no way he should have taken her down twice in a row without so much as a move in response.

"Lily are you sure everything's OK?" Theo interjected. "You seem...distracted."

Lily looked to her friends gathering around her and felt a little crestfallen. She knew that he was trying to be diplomatic about it. He might be asking 'are you sure everything's OK?' but the look on his face screamed, 'you look like hell, what's wrong?'

"I'm fine." She told them. "Uh, I think I need to get some fresh air or something. I'm going for a run, I'll be back later."

She made her way to the fridge to get a water bottle for her run. The others had resumed their practice, but by now RJ had also noticed something odd. He came to Lily's side, wrapping his arms around her.

"You don't seem like yourself." He commented. "You want to talk about it?"

"No thanks." She replied, taking a sip. "I just need some air to clear my head."

RJ looked at her, a little concerned. She hadn't been focused all morning, and she didn't look like she was feeling that great, but if she was determined not to talk about it, there wasn't really much he could do about it, she could be incredibly stubborn when she wanted to be.

"Just...remember to take your morpher with you." He told her. "Keep the communications relay open. We don't need a repeat of the Whiger incident."

Lily kissed him as he made his way to train with the others. She really wasn't feeling that good, the result of her lack of sleep. Making sure no-one was watching, she grabbed a couple of energy drinks, before heading out the door. There wasn't much else she could do right now, her head wasn't clear enough for sparring, that much was clear. Perhaps a run would be the best thing for her after all. Outside, she quickly downed the energy drinks and disposed of the cans in the trash before heading off for the woods.

"Surely even I can't screw up a run." She grumbled to herself as she began.

The sun had risen high above the tree-line as Lily stopped for a breather deep in the forest outside Ocean Bluff. Even when she was at the temple she liked to go into the woods for a run. She loved the scenery of the slightly less beaten tracks, especially at this time of year when summer was just starting to come to an end. She also enjoyed occasionally catching a glimpse of some of the woodland creatures making their way around, but most of all, she loved that it was quiet.

Making her way over to a log, she tweaked her ankle painfully, causing her to swear loudly as she hobbled over and sat down taking her weight off it. Looking at it, it wasn't swollen, and she hadn't heard anything snap so she was sure it wasn't broken, but it still hurt.

Sitting on the log, she breathed a huge sigh and thought back over everything. Some time over the next few days, she was going to be expected to undertake a trial to prove she was worthy of the title of master. She began stroking her neck as she felt her muscles tighten uncomfortably as she pondered that thought. She had been studying Kung Fu and training her cheetah spirit now for years, she couldn't believe that she'd finally be put to the test to see if she was to become the first female master since Master Guin.

Though while that made her nervous, that wasn't the real reason she was upset. She kept punishing herself with thoughts of what might happen. She couldn't believe at first that RJ would have concerns about her and not voice them, then again thinking back over everything that had happened over the last year, she could see that it wouldn't exactly be a leap of faith to see why he might think she wasn't ready, and thinking about it logically, her fiancé was hardly likely to turn round and tell her t her face "I think you're a failure."

Taking a long slug from her water bottle, she winced slightly as the cold liquid hit her stomach. Having run this far, she was quite warm, and sweating badly, but her body war warm while the water was still cold, so it was a bit of a shock to her system. Shivering slightly, she hunched over thinking about what she could do about this.

She didn't want to face her trial feeling this way. She had known that the masters would call on her to undertake it one day, but not like this. She didn't know what bothered her more. Her nerves over what the trial might require her to do, her fear over the possibility that she might fail and let herself and the others down, or the hurt over the fact that RJ thought she'd let him down. Nothing could be worse for her than feeling like she'd let him down. She'd already felt that once before the night he screamed at her for going after Camille alone while she held him captive. Fresh tears came to her face as the feeling returned to her in sharp detail. She finished off her water bottle and threw it to the ground, completely drained by her emotions.

"What do you think you're doing?" She heard an elderly voice snap from behind her. "Pick up your trash and take it…!"

Lily turned to see that it was Master Phant. Looking around she recognised the area and realised how far she'd run and knew why she was tired. She was way beyond the city, and even the location of the temple. Phant's house was only a short distance away; she had no idea why she had come out here. Phant bent down to pick it up and sat down beside her.

"Lily?" He asked her, handing it to her. He could tell she was upset about something even without seeing the tears running down her face. She had none of her usual spark and energy, and seemed to be completely oblivious to the rest of the world. She had looked straight at him and turned away without as much as a hello. That wasn't like her. "What are you doing out here?"

"I went for a run to clear my head." She told him, fidgeting with the cap of her water bottle nervously. Master Phant smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Perhaps you'd like some soup." He suggested. "It should be almost ready."

"I'm not really hungry." She whispered.

"You could have fooled me." He laughed light-heartedly. "I could hear your stomach from the other side of that ridge, that's what let me know someone was here."

Lily heard another distinctive grumble from her stomach and realised he was right. Thinking about it, she hadn't eaten anything that day, and she was quickly becoming hungry. It was little wonder she was feeling run-down. Phant shook her gently to bring her back to reality.

"Come, an old man could use some company while he eats." He continued, nodding in the direction of his house. Lily felt a little better as Phant put his arm around her shoulders, leading her back to the little house she loved visiting so much. She'd never met her grandparents, but she always thought of Phant having that role in her life. She wiped her face with her wrist, feeling that maybe there was a reason she'd ended up here.

Arriving in his house, Lily made her way over to a chair and sat down while Phant went back to the kitchen to check on the soup. Looking around, she noticed that he had already prepared the house for the winter. The hanging baskets had been emptied and put away for the season, and she had noticed as she was approaching that the flowers she had planted out the front had begun to wilt.

"I never used to care about winter." He announced as he returned to the room with a large bowl of soup and some bread. "Of course my garden was never anything to speak of before. Still, it'll grow again in spring."

"The snowdrops should be out in a few weeks." She stated, accepting the bowl. "They should give the garden a little colour in the meantime."

Phant sat down with her with a broad smile and began with his own soup.

"It's been an interesting year." Phant put down with authority. "To think it wasn't long ago the only person who used to visit me here was Gabby and I spent most of my time sitting around feeling sorry for myself."

Lily shot him a little glance before turning her attention back to her soup. That wasn't especially subtle for him; she knew it wasn't really himself he was talking about.

"Now, what seems to be troubling you?" He asked her as he realised she wasn't going to open up anytime soon. Lily just looked at him a little bemused. "Normally I can't get a word in edgeways. I had an easier conversation with my dentist when he was pulling my wisdom teeth."

Lily put down her half-finished bowl and sighed deeply. Master Phant could always see right through her, but thinking about it, she wasn't really that hard to read in this situation.

"Have you...ever wondered whether you were cut out for all this?" She asked him. Phant looked at her for a second and chuckled.

"I only had doubts every day until my trial." He answered. "When I first started I was only about ten years old. Everyone was so much further on than I was I never thought I'd catch up."

"But you were one of the greatest masters." She replied.

"I wasn't always." He chuckled. "The first time I tried to use the Jungle Mace I broke my own nose and almost strangled myself."

"But you got better." Lily responded. "You mastered it as an art form."

"But it wasn't without its pitfalls." He told her. "Everyone messes up once in a while, and it can take a lot of confidence out of us when we do."

"Well I've been messing up a lot lately." She sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't have been better if one of the others was chosen."

"The thing about making mistakes is that we make them to learn." Phant reminded her. "What determines your character is if you pick yourself up and keep trying, or lose faith and give up. Do you know what I did when I broke my nose with the Jungle Mace?"

"Kept trying?" Lily asked.

"Actually I had been trying to use it without my master's permission. He was so pissed at me for stealing it he made me do push-ups until I passed out before letting me get my nose fixed." He informed her. "But yes, I tried again."

Lily looked down at the floor, unable to respond. She just couldn't visualise Master Phant being that way.

"It even happens to old men." He told her. "When the temple put me out to pasture I just lost all faith in myself. I felt so useless I just felt sorry for myself and sat around waiting on the day I wouldn't wake up. The only thing that shook me out of my mood was the day a young blonde girl who was more stubborn than I was sat in my garden and refused to leave until I taught her."

Lily let out a small snigger as she recalled that day.

"Now, about all the times you've messed up. Why are they sticking in your mind? You've got to remember everything you've accomplished." He reminded her. "For one thing you taught a grumpy old man that he wasn't worthless."

He moved a little closer, trying to look into her eyes as she continued to look away.

"When you had your accident and lost your eyesight, no one would have blamed you for giving up, but instead you worked harder and were determined not to give up." He reminded her. "You were able to keep pace with Swoop, you impressed the hell out of all of us, and you just know you impressed RJ."

Lily sighed as he said this. He figured that he must have hit on something mentioning RJ, and decided that was the way to go.

"You know we were all impressed the way you confronted us over how we treated RJ during his trial by combat." He recalled. "And you did manage to escape Dai Shi's fortress with the prophesy."

"But I'm still worried I'm not good enough." She grumbled. "There's no way I'll ever be ready for the trial..."

She stopped short as she realised what she had said. It was Phant that RJ was talking to on the phone, they were keeping the trial under wraps in the meantime, she had just blurted out the fact that she knew. She looked at Phant, but instead of being angry, he seemed a little relieved.

"Well now at least I know what's bothering you." He told her. "How did you find out about that?"

"RJ told me?" She suggested weakly, though she knew that wasn't going to fly. Both she and Phant knew that if it was this important she didn't know before the trial was set, then he wouldn't have told her. "I heard him talking to you on the phone. I got up in the middle of the night and I overheard him."

"Well that explains some of it." Phant responded. "It's understandable to be nervous. I was in pieces when it came to my trial." He saw the way she fidgeted on the chair, unfocused on the conversation.

"That's not the only reason you're upset is it?" He asked. Lily shook her head.

"I just can't believe RJ doesn't believe in me." Lily muttered. "He's been there for me so much. The thought of the trial's always made me nervous, but if I thought RJ believed in me..."

"What makes you think he doesn't?" Phant asked her. Lily looked at him nervously.

"I heard him talking about me." She replied. "I heard him say he was worried about me, that he didn't think I was ready."

"You know people rarely hear anything good when they eavesdrop." Phant reminded her. "Especially when they only hear part of the conversation. RJ wasn't worried about you."

"He wasn't?" Lily asked him. "But the others..."

"Everyone has failings; RJ knows all of your strengths and weaknesses. He is well aware of all your capabilities." He pulled over to her and wrapped an arm around her warmly. "He has no doubt whatsoever about you; I know that for a fact. What's more I don't either."

"You...really think so?" Lily asked him. Phant smiled at her.

"You'll be a great master." He told her with heartfelt sincerity. "Now, do you want me to see you home?"

"I think I should be alright." Lily replied. "I guess I should remember not to listen into other people's phone calls."

"Well that would be an idea." Phant agreed. "You see what a state you've gotten yourself into?"

"Well, I guess I must look like a bit of a fright." She giggled. "I didn't get much sleep."

"Just try not to worry so much." He told her. "You're one of the strongest people I know. Just have faith in yourself and you'll be fine."

Lily gathered up her water bottle and headed for the door, before stopping.

"Master Phant, since I now know the trial's soon..."

"Nice try Lily." He chuckled. "You still have to face it without knowing the nature of the challenge, or the exact date. Oh, and don't say anything to the others."

Lily groaned and left to head back home, leaving Phant to his thoughts. He was glad he could make her feel better. He had always known Lily to be strong, he had seen it in her from the first time they met, he was confident that she had little to worry about. He couldn't wait until the trial.

Lily arrived back at JKP, only a little before dark just as the others were finishing clearing up.

"Nice timing Lily, we've finished." Casey told her.

"Sorry guys, I was a little messed up." She said apologetically. "Has anyone seen RJ?"

"He's upstairs." Fran informed her. Lily made her way upstairs, finding him meditating.

"How was Master Phant?" RJ asked her. Clearly Phant had called him to let him know that she was alright.

"He's fine." Lily replied. "I went a little further on my run than I thought."

"You really have come a long way." He replied. Lily knew fine he wasn't just talking about the distance from Master Phant's house.

"Look, I overheard you on the phone last night." Lily admitted. "I was worried you didn't have any faith in me over the trial."

"Phant told me how upset you were and explained, but I'm glad you admitted it." RJ stated. "Lily, I've never had the slightest doubt in my mind about putting you through the trial."

"I just wish I'd known that earlier." She replied. "I convinced myself I was weak."

"Well you're not." He told her. "You will take the trial, and you will earn your master's mark. I just know it."

"Really?" Lily asked him. RJ pulled her into a strong hug.

"Really." He responded. "I love you Lily, you can talk to me about this, just remember that."

"Thanks RJ." Lily whispered. "Now, since I know the trial's coming..."

"Nice try Lily." He interrupted her. "You can't tell the others either."

With that, they both held each other in a tight embrace. RJ was glad that he now knew what had been bothering her. Now all that was left for him to worry about was getting them through the trial.


	9. Romancing the Rhino

A/N: The next couple of chapters will overlap with the episode "Maryl and the Monkeys." Wherever the script overlaps with the script of the show, Disney owns the rights, I don't.

Dom came into the main room of the apartment, taking a seat on the couch and burying his face in a comic book, attempting to read. Fran and Theo were sparring, while Lily and RJ were busy in the kitchen making some breakfast.

He peeked over the top of his comic book every so often, seeing them all together. Sometimes it was hard to hang around the apartment with them. At present, he was the only one of the group who wasn't in a relationship. Lily and RJ were currently preparing some scrambled eggs, but it was clear that the food was the furthest thing from their minds as they took every opportunity and excuse to touch each other and flirt openly. Fran and Theo were not entirely concentrating on the task in hand as they were sparring.

He was happy for his friends that they had all found people that were so special to them, but sometimes the 'couple stuff' could be a little overbearing. Being the third wheel, or in Dom's case, the seventh, was a little wearing at times. He normally didn't mind being alone, it had been years since he'd had any significant relationships. When he was travelling, he didn't stick around long enough most times to get beyond friendly dating with anyone, but since moving into the restaurant, he was kind of surrounded by it. If it wasn't Lily and RJ making out in his chair, it was Theo and Fran hugging in the restaurant. Even though she was currently in Dai Shi's clutches, even Camille and Casey had their moments.

Dom gave up on trying to read the comic and made his way down into the restaurant to help Casey with the stock taking. He genuinely felt good for his friends that they were happy, but seeing them all the time just kind of hammered home the fact that he didn't have anyone he could be that close to. Sometimes he felt more than a little lonely when he was surrounded by them. He knew it was just jealousy, but it was still not a good feeling to be on his own around them, it always made him self-conscious.

He arrived in the kitchen, finding Casey counting through the meat section of the walk-in fridge. Ever since Camille had been abducted by Dai Shi, he'd been burying himself in work to keep his mind off it. Seeing him, Dom immediately forgot his own petty jealousy and felt sympathy for his plight. He cared for Camille deeply and he blamed himself for her being taken. Dom realised that this was the down-side of being in a relationship. In some ways, seeing what Casey was going through, he realised he was the lucky one.

"Need a hand?" He asked. Casey looked up from his clip board, seeing the Rhino Ranger coming into the kitchen.

"Sure, could you count the tomatoes?" Casey asked him. It wasn't the greatest of jobs, but if the alternative was going back upstairs into the love-nest that was forming, then he'd gladly take the tomatoes.

Meanwhile in Dai Shi's fortress, Camille was sitting in her cell as Snapper arrived, throwing open the door.

"Dai Shi has called for you." He informed her, gesturing to the hall. Camille got up and made her way to the throne room without protest. She had no intention of giving him any excuse to harm her. She arrived in the room, finding Dai Shi sitting on his throne, casting his gaze over the remaining Phantom Beasts.

"I think we may need to bolster our numbers." He stated. "Camille!"

She took a couple of steps forward and knelt before him, bowing her head. She knew she was about to be forced to do his bidding again. She looked to the ground, hoping she wouldn't have to face the Rangers again.

"It has been rumoured a scientist in Ocean Bluff named Maryl Sneider is developing a cloning serum." He told her. "I want you to get it for me. Power up!"

Camille felt the power of the phoenix spirit rising in her again, taking over her body and trapping her within her armoured form once more. Rising, to her feet, she teleported from the fortress, simply hoping that whatever Dai Shi had planned would somehow fail without anyone getting harmed.

Maryl was just leaving the lab as she heard her phone ringing. She groaned as she realised it was her friend.

"Sylvia, I told you I'm on my way." She groaned, fumbling with her keys. It wasn't easy juggling the large, secure case handcuffed to her left wrist, her cell phone and her keys, but she was just about managing.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to send a couple of guys to escort you?" She asked. "I mean, it wasn't that long ago that Dai Shi guy tried to steal the crystal eyes I was researching. I only got them back from safe storage last week. This town isn't what it used to be."

"No way, I'm not letting this thing out of my sight until I get them there personally." She responded, arriving at her car.

"You can trust campus security." Dr. Jennings told her.

"Sylvia, you know I never trust anyone." She reiterated. "I never have."

Hanging up, she began sorting through her keys until she found the one for the door.

"I wouldn't bother with that." Camille stated, announcing her arrival. Maryl noticed that she appeared to be holding a distributor cap. "I don't think your car will work without this."

"What do you want?" Maryl asked her, panicking as she found herself surrounded by rinshi.

"Give me the formula." Camille instructed her.

"I can't, it's chained to my wrist." She replied, showing her the handcuff. "I don't have the key."

"Well there are ways around that." Camille said menacingly as she called forth a dagger. The rinshi held her still, one of them holding her arm out as Camille approached. She levelled the dagger at her wrist as Maryl struggled to break free. "This is going to hurt."

Maryl closed her eyes as she saw Camille raising her hand. Inside her mind, Camille struggled for control, hoping to stop herself from striking. Her hand was about to come down as it was seized, and she found herself being launched through the air. She breathed a sigh of relief as she picked herself up off the ground, seeing the Rhino Ranger battling the rinshi. The other Rangers arrived not long afterwards, joining the battle. Maryl took refuge behind her car. Camille was glad he'd stopped her before it was too late.

"Camille, stop this!" Casey called out; trying to reach the woman he loved. "Let us help you!"

She wanted nothing more than to stop, but Dai Shi's control was too strong. She sent Casey flying with a powerful kick, before she turned her attention back to Maryl. She powered up her rinzin power, preparing a blast.

Dominic saw the peril Maryl was in and sprinted across, throwing himself at her and knocking her aside. The blast connected with the chain securing the case to her wrist, snapping it. Maryl looked up in time to see Camille picking up the case.

"Thanks." She sneered, before teleporting back to the fortress.

"She took it." Maryl shrieked, seeing her leave.

"At least this way you got to keep your hand." Dominic stated, helping her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"Just some bumps and bruises." She replied.

"Good, because I thought you might be..." His voice trailed off as he finally got a look at her. She was incredibly attractive. She had long, dark hair that came down over the shoulders of the business suit she was wearing. He caught a glimpse of her dark brown eyes, and felt his face beginning to get a little warm. He was glad that he was wearing the helmet, he was sure he'd be bright red. "Beautiful...uh...hurt."

"I'll be fine." She told him. "Please, I've got to go."

Dominic watched as she ran off, feeling his thoughts straying from the situation at hand. RJ came to his side, clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder, bringing his attention back to the present.

"Earth to Dom!" He teased him, waving a hand back and forth in front of his visor, before knocking on his helmet. "You in there?"

"Yeah." He said a little unconvincingly. RJ had to try hard not to laugh as he saw this. Dom had never exactly been the smoothest of guys when he was attracted to a girl. Clearly Maryl had made an impression on him.

"She's cute." RJ commented as the others arrived.

"Well...uh...I...I never really noticed." He stammered out unconvincingly.

"We all believe you." Lily said sarcastically. "Of course millions wouldn't."

"Guys, I think we should all leave him alone." Casey chipped in. "Dom's a professional, and he kept his mind on the job."

"Thank you." He breathed in an exasperated gasp.

"I'm sure he didn't even notice her beautiful blue eyes." He continued.

"Actually they were brown." He responded. He suddenly realised he'd been led into that one. The others enjoyed a laugh at Dom's expense.

"You guys suck!" He grumbled as he left. "I don't even know who she is."

The others followed, but RJ held Lily back a second. He knew Dom didn't have the best of luck with women, and he also knew he was a little hesitant to get into anything since he had a habit of moving on when things were getting serious, but he just had a feeling that a little romance might be a good thing for him.

"You know, we really should find out why Camille wanted that briefcase." RJ suggested, gesturing to her car as he de-morphed and started taking down her number plate.

"I think you have a point there." Lily conceded putting an arm around him as she also de-morphed. "One of us should find out who she is and ask her what was in that case."

"I have a feeling we're going to be busy in the restaurant." RJ continued. "And it has been a while since Dom's had a day off."

"I guess the Rhino's going to be doing a little recon." Lily stated as they headed back towards the restaurant.

Back at JKP, they all assembled around the monitors as Dom was being made to watch the security footage.

"So why are we watching this again?" Dom asked as they paused on an image of Maryl.

"We've found out who she is." RJ stated, handing a dossier to Dominic. "I ran her licence plates through the DMV database."

"Some people would call that illegal hacking." Dom reminded him. "And a lot of courts would think it's stalking."

"Her name's Maryl Sneider." He told him.

"Dr. Maryl Sneider." Lily injected. "She's a genetic engineer."

"Really?" Dom asked.

"She's the top in her field apparently." RJ told him. "So we just need to know what Dai Shi wanted from her."

"We need someone to find out what was in that case." Lily pressed on. "What's Dai Shi so interested in?"

"Of course we're all going to be busy today, aren't we guys?" RJ asked. Casey and Theo took the hint from Lily's frantic nodding behind Dom's back.

"Yeah." They chorused together.

"It looks like it's down to you." RJ stated, clamping a hand down on Dom's shoulder.

"So you need me to find her?" Dom responded, looking through the dossier.

"We already know where she stays and where she works." RJ told him, pointing out the relevant parts of the file. "It shouldn't be too hard to find her."

"And I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to get her to talk." Lily suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"OK, that was as subtle as getting my Rhino Steel Zord to tap dance on my head." He grumbled. "Guys, I told you..."

"Hey, we really are all busy today." Casey interrupted him. "Besides, I think we all know you thought she was attractive."

Dom smiled as he remembered her from earlier in the day.

"She was kind of attractive." He conceded. "OK, I liked her."

"Well, this sounds like a mission for you then." RJ remarked with a cheeky grin. "And if you get a chance, maybe you can even ask her out."

Dom looked down and fidgeted in the chair uncomfortably.

"What would she want with me?" He sighed. "I mean, she's beautiful, and she's a genius and I'm...well...not."

"You're a pretty good-looking guy." Lily complimented him, gesturing to the guys to leave them. She knew it was now time to bolster his confidence or he'd let her slide through his fingers. "I have to admit, from a woman's perspective you are kind of cute."

"But..."

"You're also funny, thoughtful and kind." She continued. "Fixing my dress like that was really sweet."

Dom looked up at her as she said this. He hadn't told her he'd done that. He'd fixed it himself and paid for it to be professionally cleaned, returning it when she was asleep to make sure she didn't know. He'd returned her safely to RJ like he had promised, but he still felt so badly about the fact the dress got damaged and how upset she was about it that he felt duty-bound under his promise to RJ to return it to her.

"I know it was you." She said with a bright smile, grabbing the sleeve of his shirt and pointing to a set of tiny, intricate stitches. "RJ told me it wasn't him, Casey doesn't seem like the domestic type and I used to have to do Theo's repairs. I've seen your clothes, I guessed you can sew."

"Travelling on a shoe-string budget you can't really replace your clothes that often." He replied. "I didn't want to make a big thing out of it."

"Well it was a big thing for me." Lily told him, kissing his cheek and hugging him warmly. "Maryl would be lucky to get a guy like you. Don't sell yourself short."

"You really think so?" He asked her. Lily smiled at him.

"You'll do fine." She reassured him. "Now, you know where to find her, why don't you go and find out what was in that case?"

"I will." He told her, getting up and heading out the door.

"Dom!" Lily called after him, causing him to turn back as he reached the door. "Ask her to lunch. She might say yes."

Dom smiled and nodded, determined to find out what Dai Shi had planned. That and impressing a certain genetic engineer.

Camille handed the vial to Dai Shi in the throne room as Scorch and Snapper watched on.

"You see, I told you Camille could be relied upon." He commented. "Power down."

Camille's phoenix spirit released her back into her human form, leaving her powerless among the Phantom Beasts again.

"This cloning formula will give us a tremendous advantage over the Rangers." He stated, looking at it thoughtfully. "Of course it only works on primates, so that severely limits our options. "Grinder!"

The Phantom beast carrying the monkey spirit stepped forward nervously awaiting his instructions.

"How would you like to become an army?" He asked him.

"Well actually..."

"That was a rhetorical question." He interrupted his henchman. "When the time is right, I will send you into the city to destroy the Rangers."

Grinder took the vial and left the room. Dai Shi turned to Camille.

"You've done well my lovely." He complimented her, stroking her hair gently. She pulled away from his touch, flinching from him as the other generals watched on. He turned to Snapper.

"Take her back to her cell." He commanded. "She has served her purpose for now."

Snapper took Camille by the arm and dragged her from the room. He turned his attention to Scorch and sneered at him in contempt.

"Are you still here?" He asked. Scorch bowed and left the room, growling under his breath at the dismissal, leaving Dai Shi alone.

It was then that the strain came back to him again. He felt the memories coming to him with more potency and power.

Jarrod was about 16 at this time, and had once again ended up being forced to run punishment drills. Mao had stood over him and made him do over 1000 push ups. Now his chest and shoulders burned like hell and his arms felt like they were about to fall off. He made his way quietly into the teacher's dormitory, sneaking through the hallways until he found what he was looking for, Master Mao's bedroom.

He began rifling through his drawers and cupboard, throwing his clothes around the room in a rage. He searched for everything he could find that might mean something to Mao in order to punish him for his treatment. As he turned out a drawer, an old wooden cigar box fell on the floor and fell open. Jarrod bent down to retrieve the contents. As much as he felt aggrieved at being forced to do so many exercises, he respected Mao and didn't want to go through his private papers. Just as he was about to shut the box, something caught his attention, something he recognised from his own parent's records. It was a marriage certificate.

"Master Mao was never married." He said to himself, looking through the form. He saw that indeed, the groom's signature was Mao's. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he sat on the floor and continued to look through the papers. He was surprised to find a pair of birth certificates. He opened them both and read them, almost collapsing in shock. Throwing one aside, he stared at the other, completely dumbfounded.

"19th of October 1987?" He questioned. "That's my birthday."

"Yes it is Jarrod." He heard Master Mao's voice from the door. He turned on him, tears already beginning to fall. He had also read the name given to the child.

"You..."

"I wish you hadn't found out this way, but yes Jarrod, I am your father." He interrupted him. "Your mother died a few weeks after you were born."

"You lied to me!" He screamed, snapping to his feet. "You lied to me!"

Before Mao could say another word, he sprinted from the room in tears, heading for the woods. He was so hurt he never even stopped as he slammed into Master Finn, sending him to the floor. He made his way out into the woods, where he found a spot under a tree and slumped to the ground, leaning back against it and let his tears overcome him.

His entire life had been a lie. While his parent's neglect and disinterest in him had hurt, it now made sense. He wasn't their son. He now knew why it seemed like they didn't want him, they didn't. He was given to them to look after, a chore.

"Jarrod?" A female voice said, rousing him from his sorrow. Looking up, he saw Lily standing before him. "Is everything alright?"

He looked at her, unable to answer. He had worshipped her from afar almost as long as he'd known her. The punishment drills he'd been subjected to that day were in connection to picking some of Master Mao's beloved orchids to give to her; however he had seen her leaving the temple with Theo.

Without another word, he put his arms around her and pulled her in closely; hugging her with the desperation of despair as he mourned the life he had believed to be true.

He came back to his senses, finding himself back in the throne room and held his head in his hands.

"What is wrong with me?" He asked himself. "Am I really losing control?"


	10. Monkey Madness

Dominic quickly found Maryl again as she made her way through Ocean Bluff. RJ's research had indeed given him more than enough information to tail her. Now though, he just needed to get close enough to speak with her. Maryl was on her cell phone as he approached.

"I keep telling you Sylvia, I'll be fine." She sighed, speaking on the phone. She got the feeling she was being followed, and turned around. Dom quickly picked up a newspaper and hid behind it. She shrugged and continued, but cast a glance to the window of a nearby shop, seeing Dom's reflection as he followed her.

"Look, I have no idea what anyone would want with my research, but I keep telling you it's incomplete." She continued, rounding a corner. "Anyway, I've got to go. I'll call you later."

She turned back reaching into her purse. As Dom rounded the corner, he walked straight into a stun-gun, falling to the ground as Maryl shocked him with it.

"OK, I don't know who you are, but why are you following me?" She asked him.

"I...need to talk to you." He stammered out as he got back to his feet. He surveyed her a little more cautiously. He'd underestimated her, and he'd paid for it. He wasn't in a hurry for a repeat performance. "I know who you are; I know you were attacked earlier."

"Are you a cop or something?" She asked him, continuing to keep him in view.

"More like, 'or something'." He told her. "Would you mind putting that away?"

Maryl considered it for a second and lowered her hand, though kept the stun-gun ready. All she really knew about this guy was that he was following her and he knew about the attack. For all she knew, he could have been a part of it.

"How do you know all this about me?" She asked him. "Who are you?"

"My name's Dominic." He told her. "I was kind of there."

"I didn't see you." She responded, fidgeting with the stun gun, making Dominic a little nervous that he was about to be on the receiving end of another high-voltage attack. "I didn't see anyone else."

"Look, you have to trust me..."

"Good luck with that." She snorted. "You're stalking me, you declare you know who I am and you know about the attack and you want me to trust you?"

"Look, I need to know what was in that case." He told her.

"Just, get going before I call the cops." She warned him, putting the stun gun away to a sigh of relief from Dom. Seeing her leaving, he figured there was only one sure way to get her to trust him. He had to let her know his own secret.

"Maryl wait." He called after her, causing her to turn back. As she was about to say something, he activated his morpher, changing into Ranger mode.

"You?" She asked weakly. "You're a Power Ranger?"

"Yes." He replied, powering down and changing back.

"You were the one that saved me." She recalled, thinking about the attack earlier in the day. "Thank you."

"Look, we need to talk." He told her. "Do you like pizza?"

"I love pizza." She replied. "I go to this place called Jungle Karma all the time."

Dom had to try not to laugh as he heard this.

"Well, let's go then." He responded, gesturing down the street.

"Sorry about the stun gun." She stated, making her way with him towards the restaurant. "A girl can't be too careful these days."

"I guess not." Dom chuckled.

Fran was bussing tables as the others prepared pizzas during the lunch rush when they arrived in the restaurant. She was just finishing up with one table as she heard the door opening.

"Hello, welcome to Jungle Karma how may..." Her voice trailed off as she turned to see Dom and Maryl before her. She knew about the attack earlier, and she knew that Dom had gone to try and find her to find out why Dai Shi wanted her attacked. Dom gestured a cut-throat gesture behind Maryl's back to let her know that he didn't want Maryl to know he worked there.

"Table for two please." Dom said to her.

"Sure, right this way." She replied, leading them to a booth and handing them both menus. "I'll be back in a minute." With that, she went into the kitchen.

"Guys, Dominic's brought her here." She said with a sly little smile as she entered the kitchen. "He didn't want her to know he works here, I think he likes her."

They all rushed to the door and watched as Dom tried to work his charm on the doctor. Things seemed to be going well, she was talking with him and it looked like she was beginning to open up to her. Dom cast a glance over to the door as he heard them there, causing them all to retreat back into the kitchen.

He cursed them under his breath. He knew they were trying to set him up with her, and that they were always keen to find out any gossip on the romantic misadventures of others, Lily and Fran especially. They could blow it for him if she noticed.

"I don't know who I can trust. I've only ever really trusted my partner." She told him honestly. "But I guess I have to trust someone some time, and if you can't trust a Power Ranger, who can you trust? What I've been working on is..."

"Could you excuse me for a second?" He asked her, before making his way over to the door to the kitchen as all the others saw him coming and scrambled away from the door. Dominic made his way into the kitchen.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked them, coming inside to see them all trying to look like they were working innocently, but failing miserably.

"You brought her here." Casey said, approaching the subject first with a knowing smile. "It looks like she likes you."

"Guys, I'm just trying to find out about the vial." He told them.

"I suppose that's why you invited her for a lunch date?" Lily teased him. He picked up a service cloth and threw it into her face.

"Guys, we're going about this all wrong. Maybe we should just go out there and explain it to her." Theo suggested.

"No!" Dom rushed out a little too abruptly. "Guys, she finds it hard to trust people, but she seems to trust me. I asked her about the vial and she was about to tell me everything."

"She was trying to tell you and you left the table?" RJ asked him, beginning to roll out some dough with that stupid smug grin he always got when he was teasing Dom about his lack of luck with women. "Why?"

"Because it looked like the entire work force of the restaurant was eavesdropping." He grumbled.

"Come on Dom, you can admit it, we know you like her." Lily pressed on. "Just because you're trying to get information out of her, doesn't mean you can't get to know her better in the process."

"OK, I like her." He groaned, realising they weren't going to drop the matter any time soon. "But I think I'm the best one to get her to us."

"Why would she talk to you and no-one else?" Casey said the knowing grin still on his face.

"Because to get her trust I told her who I am." Dominic confessed. "It was the only way. She's grateful to me for the rescue."

"Are you sure that's all?" Casey asked him.

"OK, she likes me, she really likes me." Dominic began, not noticing the smiles on his friend's faces slipping into uncomfortable grimaces as Maryl came into the kitchen to see why Dom was taking so long. "I'm her hero, she's putty in my hands, she..."

"Is standing right behind you." Maryl interrupted him coldly. "I can't believe you; I thought I could trust you."

"Maryl, stop!" He called after her as she stormed from the restaurant. He was about to pursue her to explain that he was only reacting to his friend's constant teasing, but their morphers bleeped, informing them about another attack in the city.

"Guys, I think this has to wait." RJ sighed, placing a hand comfortingly on his shoulder, before heading up to the apartment to check the surveillance system to see what was happening.

"I'm sorry Dom." Lily said sympathetically, gesturing for a hug. "We were only teasing, we never meant any harm."

"I know, I shouldn't have reacted." Dom replied, hugging her in response. "It's my own fault. I guess I managed to blow another date."

"Guys, we have major monkey problems in the theatre district." RJ informed them. "One of Dai Shi's Phantom Beast Warriors by the name of Grinder is running amok."

"Fran, we'll be back as quickly as we can." Casey told her, taking off his apron. "We all know what to do."

Arriving on the scene, they found Grinder clearing the street with his attacks as citizens fled in abject terror. The Rangers arrived, causing him to stop and face them.

"Rangers, it looks like I'm a little outnumbered." He told them.

"I guess we have some rinshi to look forward to." Casey groaned.

"Not this time." He replied, pulling out the vial. "I hope you like monkeys."

He poured the serum all over himself as the Rangers watched on in confusion.

"Well that was weird!" Theo stated as they watched him. He stood for a few minutes before it began working. Without warning, hundreds of identical clones of him flooded the street.

"OK, I think we now know what that serum was." Casey responded as the army of monsters advanced on them.

"There are hundreds of them!" Lily remarked. "How do we fight all of them?"

"There is one person who might know." Dom suggested. "We need to get Maryl to tell us the secrets of her cloning formula."

"Do you think she'll talk to you?" Theo asked him.

"She'll want to help stop her research destroying the city." Dom replied. "That's close enough, whether or not she likes me is irrelevant."

"We'll hold them off." RJ interjected. "Dom, go and find out what you can."

Dom ran off in search of Maryl as the others began fighting for all they were worth. There were hopelessly outnumbered and they knew it. They just hoped they could hold off long enough to get the information they needed.

"Fran!" RJ called through his communicator. "Contact the Masters. We're going to need every pair of hands we can get."

Maryl was making her way back to the lab when she saw Dom and rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe she had started to trust him; he was clearly only after one thing.

"Maryl, just hear me out please." He rushed out as she turned from him. "If you still don't believe me you can electrocute me with your stun gun all you want."

"What is it?" She groaned.

"We know you created a cloning formula." He told her. "Dai Shi gave it to a monkey creature; there are hundreds of them tearing up the theatre district as we speak."

"I never wanted my research to be used like that." She gasped, realising how much danger she had inadvertently put the city in with her research.

"We need to know if there's some way to reverse the process." He stated flatly. "If we only have one of those things to fight, then we'll have a good chance."

"The clones will all disappear if you destroy the original monkey." She informed him. "I never perfected the serum, so you'll be able to tell him because he'll have the worst case of itching he could imagine."

"Right, I got it." Dom replied. "Go for the one that's scratching." He was about to leave, but he figured he kind of owed her an apology. What she'd heard in the restaurant couldn't have sounded good.

"Look, I acted like a jerk." He said apologetically trying to find the words. "What I said was very disrespectful, I shouldn't have said it. I'm not normally like that, I swear."

Maryl looked at him a little curiously. He hadn't seemed like a typical airheaded jock when he talked to her earlier. She was a little curious as to what could have made him change.

"Why did you say those things?" She asked him. "You seemed like a really nice guy."

"Look, I think by now it's pretty obvious that I like you." He stated dejectedly. "They're my friends, I work there. I didn't want you to know because I thought you'd look down on me."

She felt a little bad as he said this. She had to admit she hadn't really given him much of a chance.

"Why would you think that?" She asked him.

"Well you're so smart, you have a great job and you're..." He blushed a little as his voice tailed off. "You're so beautiful."

"Look, Dom you're a great guy, I can see that." She replied. His morpher started bleeping interrupting the moment.

"My friends need me." He rushed out.

"Look, can I meet you for lunch again?" She asked him. "Same time and place tomorrow?"

"I'd like that." He replied with a smile, feeling better that he was getting another chance at making a good impression. "I'll see you then!"

She watched him run off to help his friends, she felt badly about the fact she didn't have longer to speak with him. He had explained what had happened and it seemed to make sense. He obviously wasn't as obnoxious as she had first thought. He deserved better.

RJ was blasted to the ground as the others gathered around, regrouping. Despite their best efforts, the numbers were definitely against them.

"There're too many of them!" Theo called out, helping RJ to his feet.

"We take down one and there are two more." Lily commented.

"You look like you could use a hand!" A loud voice declared as a shockwave through the earth sent clones flying. Lily turned to see the Elephant Ranger standing with his Jungle Mace at the ready.

"Master Phant!" She shrieked in excitement.

"Our invites must have been lost in the mail." Swoop announced, soaring through the ranks of clones, destroying many of them with his Jungle Fans. "Mind if we just crash?"

"No problem at all." RJ replied as Swoop landed beside him. "Now all we need is a bit of parental supervision to make it a real party."

"Did I hear someone ask for me?" Finn asked as he arrived on the scene. "One Shark Ranger at your service."

"Guys, Maryl told me how to destroy them all." Dom shouted over the communicators. "All we have to do is destroy the original Grinder."

"But there are hundreds of them!" RJ responded. "How do we know...?"

"Fran called and told me there's one hiding out near the lake." He interrupted. "I think Dai Shi knows that too and told him to hide out. I'll take care of him."

"We'll be fine here." RJ responded as they gathered around to ward off the increasing tide of monsters. He pulled closer to Lily, holding her hand tenderly. Finn noted the gesture and smiled beneath his helmet.

"Dominic's one of the most powerful students I've ever taught."

"Me too." Swoop added. "He'll do it."

"I really hope so." RJ put down. "Right guys, I know they're a protected species, but who says we make a few less monkeys?"

With that, they all roared a battle cry and surged into the fray.

Meanwhile at Ocean Bluff's public park, Grinder was cowering out of sight, scratching frantically. He was itching like mad, and had been since he'd poured that serum over himself.

"I hope Dai Shi knows what he's doing." He grumbled angrily. "I feel like I've got fleas."

"That will be the least of your worries." Scorch snarled as he arrived. "Dai Shi wants you to fight the Rangers.

"No he doesn't." Grinder replied. "He told me to hide. As long as I'm around, clones will keep appearing. The Rangers will never defeat..."

"Oh, well I guess I lied." Scorch replied. "Of course the Rangers will find you soon."

"How?" Grinder asked him.

"I told them where to find you." He answered as Dominic arrived, dashing Grinder to the ground with blasts from his Rhino Morpher. Scorch teleported away, leaving him with a taunt. "So long Grinder!"

Grinder pulled himself back to his feet as Dom powered up his Rhino Morpher's super blade.

Back in the theatre district, the others were holding out against the army of clones, but the numbers were quickly telling on them. They fell back until they found themselves surrounded. They all huddled, back-to-back as they prepared for the final assault.

"Guys, it's been an honour fighting with all of you." RJ put down. "Everyone ready?"

As they were about to throw themselves back into the fight, all the clones suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving them confused, until they saw Grinder towering above the city.

"Guys, the monkey's just gotten a lot bigger." Dom told them through his communicator. "The Rhino Steel Zord could use all the help it could get."

"We'll be there soon." RJ responded. "Guys, its Zord time!"

After Grinder was destroyed under the combined might of the Zords, the Rangers and the masters all assembled back in the restaurant, all glad that the threat had been ended.

"Well guys, I need to go to bed." Dom stated, finishing his beer and getting up. "I have a date tomorrow."

"Maryl gave you another chance?" Lily asked. "Dom, that's great! I'm really happy for you."

"He'll blow it!" Finn and Swoop chorused together.

"Guys, that's kind of mean." RJ chipped in. "It's true, but mean."

"He does have a track record." Swoop laughed. "Remember that girl in his second year?"

"OK, yuck it up guys." Dom chuckled. "Because tomorrow, my luck changes."

He left, leaving the others to their evening. Fran picked up a bowl of popcorn and brought it to her lap.

"Well I think it's great." She chipped in. "Dom's a great guy, he deserves some happiness."

"He has been through a lot." RJ interjected. "I hope this goes well for him."

"We all do." Swoop said, taking a sip from his beer. "What time's his date?"

"1PM." Fran informed them.

"I have twenty bucks says he blows it by twenty past." Swoop stated, slapping a twenty on the table.

"Half past." Phant laughed, matching the bet.

"I have faith in him." Finn said sternly, before grinning cheekily. "Twenty says he makes it an hour."

RJ sighed as he realised he'd end up holding the bets and picked up the bills.

"I just want to know one thing." Casey stated. "Who sent the message about Grinder's location?"

"I don't know." Fran replied. "There was no sender's signature on the communication."

"Anyway RJ, we have an important matter to discuss." Finn stated. "And it's about time all of you were in bed. You're all on the early shift tomorrow."

Lily kissed RJ and headed off to their room. After the embarrassing eavesdropping incident, she had an idea what it was about and so didn't question any further. Casey and Theo protested a little, before heading off. Phant pulled a terracotta pot out of his robes and shook it.

"There are four of us and four of them." He stated. "There are four tokens in the jar as tradition dictates. We all draw one, and that is whose trial we oversee."

"You all know what that entails." Finn stated sternly. "No going easy because we know them."

They all nodded solemnly and prepared their turn. Rattling the jar, Phant presented it to Swoop, who reached in, pulling out a wooden token. He stroked his finger across it, taking in the image of the animal spirit carved into it.

"This'll be interesting." He said with a smile.

Phant presented it to Finn next, who pulled out a chip and looked at it, seeing the animal carved into its surface. He just harrumphed in a non-committal manner and put it away.

"RJ, it's your turn." Phant told him. RJ reached in and pulled out a chip, looking at it.

"And I have the last." Phant stated, pulling it out and looking at it. "Now we all know who's taking care of whom. Fellow Masters, to the temple."

"To the temple!" They chorused, all raising their beers and clinking them. RJ nudged his dad and nodded in the direction of the door. He followed as RJ led him outside.

"Dad, I don't want to do this." He stated.

"RJ, it's a part of the traditions of the temple." He reminded him. "If they are to become..."

RJ handed him his chip. Finn immediately understood.

"I can't do it." RJ stated. "I'll not be able to..."

Finn grabbed his arm, silencing him with a gesture, holding a finger to his lips before casting a glance at the door. He needed to be sure that the others didn't hear.

"This isn't in the rules RJ." He reminded him. "It's tradition."

"Traditions change." RJ replied. "Dad, please..."

Finn checked the door was closed before presenting his chip to RJ.

"Are you sure you can do this?" He asked. "It'll be hard on all of us, no matter who we choose."

"Dad, I'm sure." RJ replied. Finn sighed as he prepared to set aside millennia of tradition for his son's peace of mind.

"This never happened." Finn stated, taking RJ's chip and handing his to RJ. The Wolf Master pulled him in, hugging him warmly.

"I won't go easy." He reminded RJ.

"I know you won't." RJ replied. "But I just couldn't."

"I understand son." He said in response. "Now, it's about time we were going home."

"Thanks dad." RJ whispered as he left. Finn smiled and headed back into the main room to encourage the others to leave.

The next day, Dom was sitting in a booth from 12 waiting on Maryl. He had already blown his first date with her; he was determined not to blow the second. He checked his watch, noting the time as close to 1.

"Where is she?" He asked himself. A short time later, she walked in with another woman. The blonde with her rushed across as she saw Casey.

"Casey, you're here!" She rushed out. "Thanks for keeping the eyes safe."

"You're welcome Sylvia." He replied slightly bemused. "So why are you here?"

Back in the booth, Maryl had sat down with Dom.

"I'm so glad you gave me another chance." He stated. He leaned in to kiss her, finding her cheek. "I'm sorry. I really like you..."

"Dom, I needed to explain." Maryl replied. "You've been so honest, I thought you deserved it. I like you too..."

He smiled at her, but she shook her head.

"I don't like you like that." She told him. "Dom I..."

"You have a boyfriend." He interrupted. "I should have known, I mean..."

"No, that's not it." She stated. "Dom..."

"You're not interested." He interrupted again. "I get it; I'm only a pizza boy and..."

"That's not it either." Maryl continued. "There's kind of a...third option."

"Huh?" He asked a little confused. He followed Maryl's gaze over to Sylvia and realised what she meant. "Oh!"

"Dom, you're a great guy." She said sympathetically.

"Well I guess at least it isn't me specifically you don't like." He responded. Sylvia by now had finished catching up with Casey and came over. She greeted Maryl with a deep kiss. Dom smiled as he saw this.

"So is this him?" Sylvia asked.

"It is." Maryl replied. "Dom, I'm sure you'll find someone great. You deserve it, but it won't be me."

"I can live with that." He said in a chuckle. "Can we at least be friends?"

"I think we can manage that." Maryl said with a grin.

"I think we can too." Sylvia inserted, offering her hand for a handshake.

Dom knew he'd be hearing about his latest romantic failure for a long time to come, especially when he saw Casey holding in a laugh as he watched Sylvia and Maryl kissing, but he didn't mind. So far there were other things to worry about, and making new friends was never something to be unhappy about.


	11. The Trial Day 1

A/N: OK, the next couple of chapters will handle the Ranger's trial. While I've seen the ep "To Earn Your Stripes" and loved it, I came up with this idea and wanted to use it, so expect the script to be thrown out of the window in favour of my own. Very minor points are based on the ep. Again where the plot overlaps with the show, Disney owns the rights. Hope you all enjoy it.

RJ opened the door to the apartment, letting in the other three masters in the early hours of the morning. He didn't like having to do this so early, but the traditions were very specific. The candidates had to begin the trial before sunrise on the morning before the correct moon phase.

"We all know why we're here." Phant put down bluntly. "Today is the day their trial begins." Fran came into the room yawning a little. RJ had already resigned himself to the fact that they were going to have to close the restaurant. Since all of them were going to be leaving for the next two days, Fran was going to have to keep things ticking over monitoring the city. He would still have been more comfortable waiting a little longer before returning her to active duty as a Ranger, but her fox spirit had almost completely healed, and they needed to perform the ceremony now or wait another few months for the correct moon phase to come round.

"Are you sure about this?" RJ asked her.

"I'd prefer it if we didn't have to be up at 4 AM." She conceded. "But I'll be fine."

He still hated having to leave her on her own, but the other masters had insisted on beginning the ritual. In his heart, he also knew that it was time for them. They deserved the chance to earn their marks.

"It's time to wake them." Finn stated with authority. "You all know what to do."

With that, the masters all headed off into the bedrooms to wake the Rangers.

Lily stirred and came to as RJ gently shook her awake.

"RJ, what time is it?" She grumbled, wiping sand from her eyes and checking the radio alarm clock. "4 in the morning?"

"Lily, it's time." He informed her with a smile. Having overheard RJ on the phone to Master Phant, she knew they were planning on putting them through the trial soon, but it was a part of the ritual that they didn't know when. She smiled at him and got up.

"So we have to get up at this ungodly hour?" She asked him.

"I'm afraid so." He replied with a chuckle. "Get dressed; the others will be assembling in the main room."

A few minutes later, Lily was dressed in a pale yellow track suit, and making her way over to where the others were all assembled, similarly dressed. Casey was wiping sand from his eyes, while Dom's eyes were barely open, yawning loudly. Theo was the only one who looked even slightly alert, but even he was noticeably tired, dark circles already forming under his eyes.

"Anyone says a word about me not having a chance to sort my makeup is getting slapped." She warned them as she took her place with her friends. As they were finally assembled, Swoop smiled knowingly and began.

"Students, as you all know, you've been training for the day when you will be tested by us, the Pai Zhuq Masters to test if you are worthy of becoming one of us." He stopped pacing and turned back to them. "Today is that day."

"You're kidding right?" Casey asked him. None of the Masters said anything, not even RJ who had an unusually serious expression on his face as he faced them with the other Masters.

"You will be taken from this place to the Jungle of Spirits." Finn informed them, ignoring Casey's remark. "There you will all camp out overnight. You will be allowed to drink water, but you must not eat during this day."

"That's it?" Theo asked a little surprised. "To become masters we just have to fast for a day?" Phant shook his head slowly, his expression never slipping as he prepared to continue.

"To become a Master, you must be prepared to battle the enemies of the planet at any time and in any condition." He continued. "The trial will test your strength to the limits."

"To pass the trial, you will have to show strength of Heart." Swoop interjected.

"You will have to have complete mastery of your animal spirit." RJ told them.

"You will have to show great strength of mind." Finn added.

"And you will have to show great strength of will when you are weak." Phant stated. "The true trial will begin tomorrow at first light. The fast is just to prepare you for the beginning of the trial."

Casey held his stomach, thankful for the large bag of pretzels he had wolfed down before bed the previous night. He hated going too long without food, the fast in itself was going to be a test for him.

"We have all randomly chosen one of you to test." Phant pressed on as the Rangers began to realise the seriousness of the trial ahead. They were serious, this really was happening. He pulled a small clay pot from his robes and handed it to Dominic. "When the sun sets, you will all drink from this pot. The herbal potion inside will render you all unconscious until sunlight tomorrow."

"You're going to knock us out?" Casey asked a little incredulously. "What if Dai Shi attacks? This is insane!"

"Fran has agreed to keep an eye on the city." RJ informed him, raising his eyebrows in a wordless gesture that now was a good time for him to shut up before he said something that the others would take offence at. The trial was one of the most revered traditions of the temple, and it was something they all took very seriously.

"Tomorrow, you will all awaken on a path to the ruins of the temple of the ancient masters. A place so sacred all animal spirits, even those not belonging to humans fall silent out of respect." Swoop carried on with the explanation. "To become a Master, you must make your way to the temple and ascend to the top and lay your hands on the crystal at the very top."

"That doesn't sound so hard." Theo whispered to Lily. She frowned as she continued to pay attention. She was sure that what they had described sounded far too simple.

"You will each pass through three mystically treated arches on your journey." Finn explained. "The first will begin the Trial of the Heart, where you will face the true face of your most painful experience."

The Rangers looked around at each other a little taken aback. The trial suddenly didn't sound so simple.

"Reaching the second arch will begin the Trial of the Will." Swoop stated with a sly grin. "You will all have to face again your greatest challenge."

"The final arch will begin the Trial of Strength." RJ told them, looking to Lily in an unspoken gesture to communicate how much putting her through this was playing on him. "The third arch will bring you into the temple grounds, where you will have to ascend to the peak to touch the crystal."

"But the third trial will truly test you." Phant stated. "To ascend the temple to the crystal, you must best the master who is overseeing your trial in full contact combat."

Lily had to try hard not to protest. They'd already said the masters had chosen their subject at random. As much as she didn't want to fight any of them, choosing their subject at random meant there was a chance she'd have to fight RJ. Looking around, she could see the others weren't exactly relishing the prospect of facing off against the masters any more than she was.

"You said the arches are mystically treated." Theo stated. "So the trials..."

"If your lives are in direct peril, you will be teleported from the jungle sparing your lives, but ending your trial in failure." Swoop stated, pre-empting his question. "But make no mistake. What you will encounter in the Jungle IS dangerous and everything you find there CAN hurt you."

"Finally, you must touch the crystal by sun down." Phant told them with authority. "If you do not complete your trial by then, you will have failed."

None of the Rangers were taking the trial lightly now. It sounded like an impossible task. They were going to be weakened by starvation and alone and they were to go through all that? They all exchanged a glance, all thinking much the same thing. This truly was going to test every inch of their strength to the full.

"Now, gather your sleeping bags and come with us." Swoop commanded. "Your destiny awaits you."

"RJ." Lily whispered. "You went through this?" He nodded to confirm this. He remembered his own trial as though it was yesterday, and it was not in the slightest a pleasant experience. He knew what awaited them, and knew they were nothing he could do to make it easier for them. To earn their stripes, they had to do this alone.

"Who tested you?" Lily asked. He never answered, but flashed a little glance to Swoop as they were led from the apartment.

"I hope I don't get him." She sighed to herself. She had to think long and hard about it. There really wasn't one of the masters she wanted to face. Not only were they friends, they were almost family. Phant was like a grandfather to her. She loved visiting him, and he had always guided her well in their talks together. Swoop had taught her the Swoop technique when she'd had her accident, and was now one of her best friends. Finn was quite literally family; it wouldn't be long until he was her father-in-law. There was only one thing she was sure of. She hoped RJ hadn't chosen her. If she had to fight him, she'd never be able to do so. She'd have to forfeit. There was no way she could intentionally hurt him.

In Dai Shi's fortress, Dai Shi had sent his subjects away as he struggled with his fluctuating power. The rinzin power he'd been infused with, and the griffon spirit that now inhabited him was powerful, but for some reason he continued to be troubled by Jarrod. He was losing control of him and he knew it.

He knew damn fine that Scorch had sold out Grinder to undermine his power and influence over the other Phantoms with the failure of his latest plan, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. When he confronted Scorch, he'd begun to power up the rinzin within him, but he couldn't unleash it. It had taken him a while after he'd sent them away to figure it out, but he knew what it was. It was Jarrod's black lion spirit.

He heard Master Mao's words ringing in his head taunting him. "Jarrod's humanity and his black lion spirit form a nexus even you can't destroy."

He grabbed his hair in frustration as he heard all the taunts he had heard over and over about Jarrod.

"Jarrod's goodness is an antidote to your poison and one day he will cast you out!" Phant's voice echoed in his skull. How could this be happening? He was all powerful. He had mastered zukado; he had even harnessed the power of rinzin. How could a mere human be causing him this much trouble?

The Rangers arrived in a clearing in the Jungle of spirits, coming to a halt as they arrived, dumping their sleeping bags on the ground as the masters turned to face them. Casey gently stroked his stomach as he felt it rumbling.

"Dude, it's only been like six hours." Dominic chuckled.

"Guys!" Theo snapped, nodding in the direction of the masters.

"We are leaving you now, but you will be under observation for the remainder of the day." Phant informed them. "Remember, if you leave the jungle, or if you eat you will be disqualified."

"The sun should be setting in about 12 hours." RJ stated, checking his watch. "Then, the true trial will begin."

The Rangers watched the Masters go, all feeling a sense of foreboding. They still didn't know exactly what lay ahead for them, but now they had a better idea, and it didn't sound good at all.

"How are you feeling?" Dom asked them, the usual jovial tone gone from his voice. He was always such a joker, and he never seemed to take anything seriously but that was noticeably not the case today. Lily came over to him, putting an arm around him and held him. They could all understand. He had been at Pai Zhuq since he was six years old, and with the exception of the time he'd spent travelling at Master Mao's behest, it had been his whole life. He'd been training far longer than any of them, so in many ways Pai Zhuq had been his whole life, they knew how important it was to him.

Of course he'd also been through so much that year. He had a very real personal stake in becoming the Rhino Master. His devotion to his father and his personal quest to save Jarrod had made him more driven and determined than any of them knew was possible for him.

"I'm as nervous as hell." Lily sighed, holding him. "I've been here since I was 13; it's what I've been training for all that time."

"I was there almost a year before you." Theo whispered quietly. They all turned to look at him. He was always so confident and collected. He was usually the most focused of them, and he was arguably the best in terms of technique, but now all of that confidence seemed to be missing. His face was growing pale, and he was noticeably shaking. "I've always striven to be the best in everything I do. I've been looking forward to this day ever since I heard the first rumour of the trial. Now that it's here, I'm really worried that I'm not ready."

"You're not ready?" Casey asked a little incredulously. "How do you think I feel?"

"Casey?" Lily asked, noticing the distinct look of panic on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"I was only there for a week before all this began." He responded bluntly. "With the exception of what I learned under RJ and Master Finn, I don't know anything about all of this."

"Casey, you were already great at Kung Fu when you arrived." Lily reminded him. "You've been doing so great in training..."

"But have I learned anything?" He interrupted her. "I almost lost myself to my animal form months ago when I fought Dai Shi. Whiger suckered me into losing my tiger spirit."

He slumped down onto the ground; sitting hunched over and pulled out his necklace, gently handling the engagement ring.

"I've lost Camille." He whispered.

"I've lost my brother." Dominic snapped a little too aggressively. "But I plan on getting him back."

"And I plan on getting Camille back." He replied. "But you weren't directly responsible for Jarrod being taken. I was responsible for Camille giving herself up."

With this, they all sat silently as they surveyed their own thoughts. Lily played with her engagement ring nervously. She had intended to give it to RJ for safe keeping, but now she was glad she had forgotten to do so. She remembered everything he'd said to her that night. He was nervous about one of them, but he assured her it wasn't her. Seeing the way Casey was beating himself up, she now understood.

Back at jungle Karma, Fran was busy spending her spare time training. She knew that if Dai Shi attacked the city then it would fall to her to stand against him. The thought terrified her, but at the same time it also made her feel good to know that her friends had so much faith in her.

Stopping for a quick rest, she looked down at her noticeably improved physique and smiled. She really had come a long way from the nervous, babbling, skinny bookworm who used to come to the restaurant every day as a way to escape the harsh realities of the subsistence she had back home at her empty, crumbling house.

She'd been a skinny, frail little thing back then, admittedly unhealthily so. She used to scrape together what meagre cash she could find, beg and earn through various odd-jobs, though it wasn't much. Some days she was only able to afford one meal in the day, on those days she had to settle for a slice of RJ's pizza. She knew it probably wasn't the cheapest or smartest way to feed herself, but it wasn't as if she had the means to cook for herself. Besides, in Jungle Karma, she felt like she had a home, a place she belonged. The hunger pangs and the expense aside, that alone made it worth it coming here each day.

Of course after she'd started working there, things started to get better. She was usually able to sneak out leftovers and she was entitled to one meal there a day during her break. As well as that, she also started training with Theo. She was still quite thin, but she had noticeably put on weight, and was a lot more toned in her appearance. For the first time since her mother thought more about the deadbeat who encouraged her to run out on her daughter, she actually looked and felt healthy.

The buzzer sounded, indicating an attack in the city. She quickly checked the monitor, breathing a sigh of relief as she realised it was only rinshi that were attacking the city. Since Dai Shi hadn't deigned to send any of the Phantom Beasts with them, obviously he just wanted to gather a little fear.

Grabbing her morpher, she smiled as she realised that she was finally getting her chance to return to action. She grabbed a vine, and headed through the tunnel, morphing as she went. The Fox Ranger was back!


	12. The Trial Day 2

The sun was falling beneath the tree line before any of the Rangers spoke again. Seeing the sun setting, Dominic was the first to speak.

"I guess it's time." He sighed, picking up the pot. He pressed it to his lips, taking a deep gulp from it, before handing it to Casey. He grabbed the sides of his head and fell to the ground, thrashing around wildly for a few moments, causing all of the others to stop for a moment as they watched.

"Dom!" Lily called out, rushing to his side. He thrashed around for another couple of seconds before slumping lifelessly to the ground unconscious.

"What the hell was that?" Casey shrieked.

"I guess it's a part of the trial." Theo replied, taking the pot from him. "I'll go next."

He put the pot to his lips a little more tentatively, and threw it back, taking a large gulp before handing it to Lily. Just like Dom, he grabbed the sides of his head as though he was in pain, and thrashed around on the ground like he was having a seizure. A few seconds later, he was also unconscious. Lily and Casey looked to each other nervously.

"Casey, we can do this." Lily said to him reassuringly, handing him the pot. "RJ would never have put us into this if he didn't believe in us."

"But..."

"If you can't do it for yourself," Lily pressed on, "do it for Camille."

Casey sighed as he thought about the woman he loved, still being held prisoner by Dai Shi. He wasn't sure about any of this, but he always tried to be strong for her. He remembered how RJ had told him that the trial would test every inch of his strength and power, entitling him to truly call himself a master. Breathing in sharply he made his decision and drank from the pot. He figured if he could pass the trial, then he'd be strong enough to win Camille back. Lily took the pot as Casey fell to the ground.

Finding herself alone, Lily looked around once more, taking in her thoughts. If the others were prepared to go through it, then she owed it to them to take the trial too. With one last breath, she drank from the pot and prepared to join her friends.

She clutched her head as swirling images assaulted every one of her senses. She could now see why the others had reacted the way they had. The potion appeared to have powerful hallucinogenic effects, which brought all of her memories rushing through her mind with such vivid detail, she couldn't just see them. She could smell them, hear them and feel them. She screamed as her head pounded like it was being attacked from the inside, before slumping lifelessly to the ground, joining her friends in unconsciousness. RJ and the other masters came out of hiding, striding over to the student they had chosen to oversee.

"Are you alright RJ?" Finn asked him, seeing the look of concern on his face.

"I'll be fine." He sighed. "I just remember how wild a trip drinking that potion was. I really wish we didn't have to do that to them."

"Just remember, they are all strong." Swoop reminded him. "I remember putting you through your trial. I had much the same thoughts; you wouldn't be human if you didn't."

"Well, let's get this underway." Phant stated, lifting the lifeless body of one of the Rangers onto his shoulders. "They'll be fine."

RJ looked a little doubtful, but picked up his own charge and headed off towards the beginning of the path he was to oversee. It was not going to be an easy day; he knew that much from personal experience. Of course he had also taught all of them well. He knew how strong they were. They all deserved to pass their trials; that much he felt in his heart.

Back in the fortress, Dai Shi locked himself in his private chamber as he felt Jarrod tugging at his mind once more. Screaming loudly, he called forth all the power of rinzin within him. He succeeded in burying Jarrod again, but somehow managed to exhaust himself completely. He collapsed to the floor, clutching his head and rolling around, seemingly in agony as images flashed before him.

Jarrod had been called aside by Master Mao after attacking a cub who had dared to stand against him. The runt had seen fit to get involved when he was berating another student, and seemed to think that just because he was somehow able to call his animal spirit he was a match for him. Mao took him into a private room and shut the door behind them.

"So what punishment are you going to give me dad?" He sneered. "I'm one of the chosen guardians. You need me..."

"You are not worthy of that title Jarrod." Mao said angrily, rounding on him. "Bullying? Cruelty? Calling your animal spirit on weaker students? Is that what you think makes a worthy guardian?"

"I am more powerful than any of the students here!" He snarled, taken aback by his father's aggressive tone. "It is in my blood. I am descended from one of the greatest masters! I am..."

"You are my son." Mao interrupted him. "But that does not give you a licence to act as you please. I know how much anger and hurt you carry with you, but a guardian must conduct himself properly."

"So you're choosing one of the losers to be a guardian in my place?" He shrieked. "Are you insane?"

"I have made a mistake advancing you so far while you act this way." Mao stated. "Jarrod, I have no choice but to expel you from the temple."

"But dad..."

"This is my final decision Jarrod." He reiterated. He stopped at the door and turned back. "I have tried to curb your pain and your anger, but there is so much. That is largely my fault, and I apologise, but guarding Dai Shi's prison is too important to risk allowing one so volatile to defend it."

"So that's it?" He hissed angrily. "You're kicking me out?"

"You will be welcome back when you have worked through your hurt." He replied. "I'm truly sorry Jarrod." With that, he left the room to find his new defenders. Jarrod stood, feeling the bile rising in him as he thought about everything that had been taken from him. Pai Zhuq and his studies were all he had left after finding out that his life had been a lie. Slamming a fist into the wall, he turned and went in search of his father, determined to make him change his mind, even if he had to force him.

Back in the temple, Dai Shi collapsed to the floor unconscious. His mind had been so battered by the images that he had been completely overcome.

Dominic stirred awake, finding the sun rising above the tree line. He could remember taking the potion, and he could remember all of the images that flashed though his mind the day before, but after that everything had gone dark. He couldn't remember anything else until he woke up in his sleeping bag at the beginning of a path.

Looking ahead, he saw a stone archway before him, carved with the images of the animal spirits of all the masters that had come before him. Ahead in the distance, he could see a large ruined temple rising far above the path before him. As the sun rose to over head, he saw a light reflecting down his path from a crystal at the very top. The trial had begun.

He started jogging down the path, passing through the first arch. As he did so, he suddenly got a feeling that he was not alone. Turning as he heard a loud yell behind him, he threw himself aside in time to avoid the first attack, though his opponent connected with a hard kick sending him staggering. Dom gathered his senses and confronted him, but got a confused look on his face as he realised the man attacking him was Master Mao.

"Dad?" He asked a little confused.

"Welcome to the trial of the heart." Mao responded. "I am the face of your most painful memory."

"I don't want to fight you!" Dominic yelled. "What is this?"

"You must always be ready to do what you don't want to." Mao answered, pulling into a guard. "And what you don't think you can."

Dominic looked deep into his heart. He was so hurt and angry when he found out about his true parentage. He had come to accept the truth, but it was still true that Mao had been the face of his most painful memory. He turned back to him.

"I promised you I'd save Jarrod." He stated, pulling into a guard himself. "And if passing this trial makes that possible, then I'll do it."

"I'm proud of you my son." Mao replied. "Now, shall we begin?"

Meanwhile, having come to, Lily made her own way through the first arch. She was a little nervous about what awaited her. She tried to remember what the masters had told her about the challenges. As she wondered, she saw a glowing crimson Mandrill heading her way. She called forth her cheetah spirit, blocking it in time to save herself. Her heart fell as she realised what this meant. Her dad stepped out of the jungle to face her.

"I'm meant to test you." He told her. "Make me proud sweetheart."

She suddenly remembered the first trial. She was to confront the face of her most painful memory. For Lily that was unquestioningly her father. She'd since made peace with him, but it had been the source of much of her pain for most of her life the feeling of rejection when he left her behind. She was almost considering just calling an end to the trial right there.

"Don't give up Lily, that's not how you were raised." Michael reminded her. "You need to do this, if you don't there'll always be something missing in your life. This is what you wanted for all this time."

"But I don't want to fight you." She murmured. "I love you dad."

Realising she was about to give up, Michael forced her hand by launching to the attack, forcing her to defend herself. Locking in a stalemate after a few seconds, Lily had overcome her reservations. She looked into her father's eyes, realising what he had done for her.

"Thank you dad." She said, shoving him away before returning to the fray.

Theo had made his way through the first arch, but hadn't found anything. He continued on his path, sprinting ahead to make up on time. Seeing the second arch ahead, he stopped for a second as he realised something was wrong. He'd received no challenge, something had to be wrong. It was then that he heard a familiar growl which froze him to the spot. Turning around he saw Fran's animal form before him. He remembered in pointed detail how hard it had been to face her before when Dai Shi had tortured her and forced her to lose herself to her animal form.

The Fox-beast sunk down on its paws, preparing to launch into the attack. Theo had no heart to fight, but he thought about Fran for a second. She had fought the creature. She had been so brave when she fought for control of her own mind out of her love for him. Theo balled his fists and prepared to fight.

"You're not Fran." He declared. "And if Fran can fight you then so can I."

Casey meanwhile was making his way through the first section a little more cautiously than the others. Although he knew he only had until sunset, he didn't want to take any chances. Especially since he remembered with pointed detail what his most painful memory was. He had no desire to face it. He breathed a huge sigh as he found himself being confronted by the one he had hoped he'd be spared facing.

"Hello Camille." He whispered, before preparing to defend himself, completely lost to his despair.

Dai Shi came to, looking around his bed chamber nervously. He felt like he was going completely insane. There was nothing that made sense anymore. He had been plagued heavily by the strength of the last attack.

Pulling himself back to his feet, he was astounded to see Master Mao in his chamber before him.

"Are you here to give me another lecture old man?" He sneered. "Jarrod is gone."

"If that's true then why am I here?" Mao asked him, launching into the attack. Dai Shi was stunned as the old master attacked. He struggled to defend himself under the merciless attack.

"Come on son, you can fight better than this!" Mao yelled, throwing him across the room. Dai Shi tucked and rolled back to his feet, facing his attacker.

"You really are asking for it old man." He snarled. "I killed you once."

"I'm not here for you." Mao replied. "Give me everything you have!"

Dai Shi roared and threw himself at the old master.

Back at his own trial, Dominic was faring well against his father. Eventually the old master attempted to take him down, but Dominic reversed it expertly, pinning his father to the ground, before thrusting his fingers towards his throat in a death-strike, stopping just short.

"I don't need to do it." Dom told him. "You know I've won."

"I knew you would." Mao told him authoritatively. "It is a child's destiny to surpass their parents. I'm proud of you Dominic."

"Thanks dad." Dominic said, getting off him and offering him a hand. Master Mao smiled and vanished. Dominic bowed to the place where he had been, before turning and running toward his second challenge, the Trial of the Will. The first challenge had taken a lot out of him, and he knew that the next would be no easier, but with his father's words of praise still echoing in his mind, he smiled as he prepared for the trials ahead. He would do it for all of them. Master Mao, his brother, and the Rangers. Passing through the second arch, he was thrown from his feet by a power blast. Getting to his feet, he looked up to see Dai Shi striding towards him in his Black Lion armour.

"Last time you were distracted by the Yellow Ranger's plight." He sneered. "What say we have that re-match big brother?"

"Bring it!" Dominic snarled, snapping to his feet.

Lily swept her father's legs from under him, taking him to the ground. She stood over him, hesitating for a second as she prepared to unleash her Cheetah spirit. She knew this was all an illusion, her father was really somewhere in the Middle East, this was only an image of him, but she still didn't want to strike the final blow. Michael smiled at her, holding his hands up in submission, before accepting a hand from her to help him back to his feet.

"You did it honey." He replied with a smile. "I guess I was wrong about all that Kung Fu stuff."

"Thanks dad." She replied. "I have to go."

"You'll be fine honey." He said reassuringly. "Give them hell."

With that, she smiled and ran toward her second challenge. As she sprinted through the second arch, a ball of light struck her in the face without warning, knocking her from her feet.

Lily shook her head to gather her bearings as she used the arch to help herself back to her feet. She held her hands before her and tired to focus as she realised to her horror what the second trial was.

Trial of the Will, face again your greatest challenge. She blinked a few times hoping she was wrong, but she now remembered what that was. She confirmed her worst fears. Once again, she was blind.

Theo threw the fox beast aside, causing it to become disorientated. He lunged forward once more, driving a hard kick into its head, causing it to fall onto its back. He mounted its chest, preparing to drive his fist into its face, when he realised the folly of his plan.

"This isn't right. I didn't defeat you with my fists." He commented. Looking into the creature's eyes as it awaited his strike, he leant down, gently pressing his lips to its. The creature began to melt away and turn back into the woman he loved. Fran smiled up at him from the ground.

"I could get used to this." She giggled. "Would you mind letting me up?"

He got off her chest, allowing her back to his feet. She gently kissed him again.

"I have to go." He told her, before turning to head off for his next challenge.

"Theo!" She called after him. Theo turned back in time to catch a pair of Jungle Fans as she threw them to him. "You'll need those."

He smiled at her, before she vanished from sight. Heading through the second arch, he smiled with realisation as he realised what she meant. Before him were Bai Li and Cardin.

"Looks like we get another crack at this one." Bai Li squawked, calling on his sword.

"Because you did so well the last time." Theo replied, pulling into a guard and opening his fans. "Come on!"

Casey meanwhile was not faring so well. Camille sent him flying with a power blast as he struggled to find an opening. He looked in horror at the phoenix armoured warrior. He had failed her so badly allowing Dai Shi to control her with the phoenix spirit. He couldn't think straight as she lunged for him with claws outstretched, tearing his jumper from him.

He confronted her with tears in his eyes. He couldn't bring himself to fight her with all his strength, but he knew he had to. Looking down to the engagement ring on his necklace, he let out an anguished cry as he threw himself at her once more. This thing he was fighting wasn't the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and while it would hurt her, he had to release her from the phoenix spirit, and so far the only way he could think of was to destroy it.


	13. The Trial Ends

Lily stumbled around as she tried to get her bearings. By using the arch as a point of reference, she knew as long as she walked straight ahead she would eventually reach the next arch.

She waved her hands in front of her, and pressed each step to the ground cautiously as she searched for obstacles in her path. She cursed the masters for their cruelty, they knew it had terrified her when she lost her sight before, she couldn't believe one of them would put her through that again. As she pressed on, sweeping branches carefully from her path, she inwardly hoped that she would regain her sight when she reached the temple.

Back in the fortress, Dai Shi flew across the room, dashed aside by Master Mao's attack.

"I defeated you once!" He roared. "I can do it again!"

"That always was your problem Jarrod." He responded. "You were a great fighter, but you treated every problem like an opponent and attacked. Some problems cannot be solved with violence."

He surged forward, launching into another attack, though finding himself passing through Mao's incorporeal form. He slammed a fist into the ground in frustration.

"What angers you so much Jarrod?" He asked him. "Is it that you cannot defeat me?"

"No!" He screamed, getting back to his feet. "I am more powerful than you!"

"You always were." Mao replied. "So what vexes you so?"

Dai Shi fell to his knees as he felt the pain in his chest and head rising again. He was again losing control. Tears fell down his face as Jarrod regained control.

"I'm sorry!" He screamed. "I'm sorry!"

"My death was not your fault Jarrod, it was Dai Shi's." He reminded him. "You must remember that and forgive yourself."

Dai Shi regained control, rising to his feet, and looking for Master Mao, but finding that he was gone. A look of confusion crossed his face as he found himself unable to fathom the motives of the old master. He heard footsteps behind him and turned slowly, finding a warrior in his golden griffon armour standing before him.

"I will destroy you!" The new arrival roared, blasting him into the wall at the other side of the room. Dai Shi pulled himself off the floor and prepared to defend himself. He was sure this had to be another of Master Mao's tricks.

"Why am I fighting myself?" He roared.

"You are not!" The Griffon Warrior replied. "But you will never defeat me!"

Realising what this meant, Dai Shi lost control to Jarrod. The young Pai Zhua faced his opponent.

"I never wanted to hurt anyone!" He screamed, launching himself at Dai Shi. "Give me back my life!"

"If you were worthy then you would take it." He sneered in response, dashing him aside with a back-handed swipe. "You and I are so alike. There is no decency or nobility in you. That's why I chose you in the first place!"

"That isn't true and you know it." He replied. "I was always a good person."

"Name one good thing you've ever done." He responded. "Why, you even stood back and did nothing as Mr. Fisher, the one man who's ever been kind to you lost everything! Now that truly is cold-hearted."

Jarrod turned on him aggressively as he said this.

"Only because you erased my good deeds." He reminded him. "I've gotten this all wrong from the beginning. You don't control me, you're afraid of me!"

Dai Shi surged forward, attempting to choke the life out of Jarrod, but finding his hands being seized and held harmlessly aside by the empowered student.

"You've done everything you can to weaken me, and I'm still breaking through." He reminded him. "Before you know it, I will have control back."

Jarrod released his wrists and stared in confusion as the golden armoured warrior shifted form into his last opponent. It was Jarrod.

Back in the Jungle of Spirits, Dominic battled the Lion Warrior with everything he had, quickly gaining the advantage. Powering up an energy blade around his fist, he swung it wildly, connecting with his head, shattering his helmet.

He found himself stopping in his tracks as he beheld the face of his younger brother. He knew that he had to carry on, but he didn't really want to hurt Jarrod.

"You never were a match for me brother!" Jarrod snapped, powering up his gauntlets and preparing to strike.

"Don't make me do this Jarrod!" He responded, powering up his energy blades again, preparing for the counter. As Jarrod surged forwards, Dominic launched himself aside, before bringing both blades to bear, smashing him out of his armoured form. Jarrod looked up at him from the ground.

"I never defeated you before because I promised RJ I'd return Lily safely." He stated. "But this time I only have to worry about my promise to dad. I'm bringing you home Jarrod!"

"I'm sure you will." He replied, disappearing. Dominic smiled as he realised he had passed his second trial. He realised that his destiny was to return Jarrod safely. His defeat at Dai Shi's hands on the two occasions they had already faced each other had left him doubting whether he could, but now he remembered what he'd always known. When he put his mind to it, there was nothing he couldn't do. Turning his attention back to the temple, he ran towards his final challenge.

Casey was still struggling to defeat Camille. He couldn't beat her; he couldn't bring himself to hurt her. As he was about to lose himself to despair, he looked to her engagement ring again, and suddenly the memory came back to him.

When he faced her in the cave along with Whiger, she paused when she saw the ring. He knew the woman he loved was still in there, all he needed to do was reach her. He grabbed his necklace, ripping it from his neck.

"Come on Camille!" He beckoned her. "You want to kill me? Come and get me!"

She lunged for him, thrusting towards him with her left hand. Casey caught her hand, twisting it into a powerful wrist lock.

"I'm not giving up on you!" He yelled, placing the ring on her finger. "Not now, not ever!"

The phoenix armour melted away, leaving Camille in her human form smiling at him. She pulled him in, kissing him tenderly.

"I know we'll be together again." She whispered. "I believe in you."

She disappeared, leaving Casey holding her engagement ring in his hand. He had lost a lot of time on his first trial, and he knew he would have to hurry if he was to complete his other two trials before nightfall.

Theo powered up his Jungle fans using the full power of his Jaguar spirit as he gained the advantage.

"One down!" He yelled, throwing one of them at Cardin, destroying him in a massive explosion. "None to go!" He continued as the second fan destroyed Bai Li. "You were losers before and you still are."

He took a second to gather his bearings after utilising so much of his power. He knew he did not have far to go, less than half a mile now separated him and the temple. However, he knew that the final challenge was going to be the hardest of all. Now he had to face one of the masters.

Composing himself, he looked to the sun, seeing it beginning to fall in the sky. He had time left, but he knew that the longer he had, the better his chances of besting his opponent in time to ascend the temple. He ran towards his final destination, preparing for the moment of truth.

Lily stumbled and fell, completely losing her bearings. She thrashed her hands around in the vain hope of finding some point of reference. She knew that if she didn't, then she would have no idea which way it was to the temple. She could end up walking in completely the wrong direction and have no idea. Tears of frustration ran down her face as she felt her heart sinking. She was about to fail and she had no way of stopping it.

Sitting and hanging her head in despair, she couldn't even begin to fathom where she was. There wasn't even any sounds she could identify to help her get her bearings.

That was when she regained hope. She remembered what Swoop had told them of the temple. He said it was a place so sacred, even the animals fell silent out of respect. That was why she thought it was so odd, there were no animal sounds. No birds were singing. She had to be near the temple.

Crawling around on her knees for a while, she swept her hands around, smiling as he felt her hand come across cold, hard stone. Feeling it, she realised it was the arch. Using it to help her back to her feet, she made her way through the arch, breathing a sigh of relief as her sight returned to her.

Looking around, she marvelled at the ancient structure. It was a kind of stepped pyramid built out of worn, yellow sandstone. At the very top, she could see the crystal shining in the late sun. She realised she still had time, but there was one challenge left.

Making her way into the courtyard, she looked around realising that she was the first to arrive. A pillar stood a short way from her position, holding up a statue of a cheetah. Making her way over, she realised her solar morpher was at the statue's feet.

"Lily!" Dom called out, arriving a short way to her right. He made his way towards her, but an invisible field separated them.

"I guess that's to make sure we only face our own opponents." She surmised, pressing her hand to the field.

"Where'd you get your moprher?" Dominic asked her, seeing it in her hand.

"At the base of the statue." She told him. Dominic looked around, seeing a rhino statue a short way from him. He made his way over, picking up his morpher and placing it on his wrist. He saw Theo arriving to Lily's left.

"Theo, your morpher's by the Jaguar statue." He told him. Theo nodded in understanding and collected his morpher.

"So who am I fighting?" Lily asked, activating her morpher. In response, she was only barely able to avoid the first attack as the Shark Ranger lunged at her with his sabres at the ready.

"Oh great, most people get to get married BEFORE they start fighting with their in-laws." She grumbled, calling forth her Jungle Bo. "Come on Master Finn!"

Theo morphed himself just as he saw RJ stepping out from behind a pillar.

"A Wolf taking on a Jaguar." He commented, pulling into a guard. "Now this should be interesting."

"I guess one of us had to draw the short straw." He replied, calling on his Jungle Tonfa. "I suppose it's just as well Lily didn't."

RJ smiled as he said this. It wasn't going to be easy facing any of them, they all meant so much to him, but it all but killed him when he pulled Lily's chip out the pot.

"Thanks Dad." He whispered under his breath before launching into the battle.

"So who do I get, the bat or the elephant?" Dominic asked, powering up into Ranger Mode and extending his rhino morpher's blade.

"You get to face me." Phant replied as the Jungle Mace narrowly missed Dom, shattering the stone beneath his feet. "Let's see what you learned on your travels."

"I'd be honoured to show you." He replied.

Casey stepped through the second arch, only to feel his tiger spirit leaving him. He realised now what his next challenge would be. He would have to face his greatest challenge again.

"Whiger!" He called out, beckoning the fallen Phantom Beast General. "Come and face me!"

"My worthiest of foes." Whiger greeted him, appearing out of the ether. "We meet again!"

Looking over Whiger's head he saw the crystal at the top of the temple glowing orange. The sun was only a short way above it, he knew he didn't have long left.

"I don't have time to fight you and a master." He mused to himself. "But I didn't have to fight you."

"No you didn't." Whiger replied. "You showed me the true meaning of honour."

"You made me promise to defeat Dai Shi for the sake of all tigers." Casey reminded him. "Stand aside and I'll make sure I fulfil my promise."

"I know you will." Whiger replied as he vanished. "Farewell Red Ranger."

"Farewell Whiger." He replied as he sprinted toward the temple.

Master Phant slammed the Jungle Mace into Dom's chest, sending him to the ground. He growled in frustration as he struggled to find a hole in his defence. He just didn't have the reach to score a blow through his defence, the Jungle mace was simply too long.

"Come on Dominic, you're better than this!" Phant encouraged him. "You are one of the most powerful students ever to go to Pai Zhuq."

"I need to get closer." Dominic said to himself. He smiled as he got an idea.

"Come on Master Phant, show me what you have." He implored him. Phant smiled and began swinging the Jungle Mace, before throwing it forward. Dom deflected it, wrapping the chain around his wrist so that he couldn't retrieve it. Dom rushed forward, powering up the Rhino Morpher.

"Super Blade Attack!" He yelled loudly, smashing him to the ground. Phant de-morphed, looking up at him.

"I yield." He said with a smile, holding his hands up in submission. "Congratulations Dominic."

Dominic de-morphed himself, before running up the steps. Arriving at the top, he placed his hand on the crystal, finding himself held fast. He had passed, now all he could do was wait on the others. Looking down, he saw Theo gaining the upper hand over RJ, connecting with a telling blow to his head. RJ rolled back to his feet as he de-morphed.

"You've got me Theo." He replied. "Well done, I knew you had it in you."

Theo made his way up the temple, taking his place beside Dom, also resting his hand on the crystal, feeling himself held in place by the same unseen force Dom had.

"I can't believe it!" He yelled excitedly. "I did it!"

"I knew you had it in you Theo." Dominic complimented him. "It looks like Lily's faring well against Master Finn too."

"Where's Casey?" He asked, straining to see. The courtyard below where Casey was to face Swoop was still empty.

"There he is!" Dominic replied as he saw Casey arrive through the arch.

"He doesn't have much time." Theo stated.

"If anyone can do it, Casey can." Dom reminded him. "You know what happens when you count Casey out."

Meanwhile back in the fortress, Jarrod confronted the imposter.

"You always were your own worst enemy Jarrod!" The clone sneered as he faced off against the bearer of the lion spirit. "Come on!"

"No." He whispered. "I can't fight myself, I'll never win."

"Shame you never figured that out sooner." The spirit replied as it disappeared. "Maybe you should realise that and stop. Then you'll be able to cast out Dai Shi."

Dai Shi shook his head, completely confused as to what had happened. He had no idea how or why the spirits had assaulted him like that. All he knew was that for the time being he was back in control.

Lily disarmed Finn with a swipe of her Jungle Bo, before spinning and taking out his legs. Finn started laughing as he de-morphed and looked up at her, impressed by her strength.

"Go and claim your victory." He told her. "You deserve it."

"Thanks Master Finn." She responded, de-morphing and heading up the side of the pyramid. She took her place with the others, touching the crystal and claiming her place in the history of the temple.

"I knew you'd do it Lily!" Theo said excitedly, high-fiving her.

"You made it!" Dom chipped in, also high-fiving her. "You deserve it. You always were one of the strongest people I've known."

"Thanks guys." She replied, blushing a little at the praise, before casting a gaze down to the courtyard. "But Casey's still not finished with Swoop."

"He doesn't have long." Dominic stated, pointing to the west where the sun hung only just over the tree-line.

"Come on Casey, you can do it!" Lily called out encouragingly.

Down at the foot of the pyramid, Casey and Swoop seemed to be locked in a stalemate. Neither man was significantly stronger or faster than the other. Casey struggled to find the opportunity to press the advantage, but Swoop was finding the opportunity to take down his opponent equally elusive.

"I don't have time for this!" He snarled in frustration as he realised the sun had almost set.

"Are you giving up?" Swoop asked him. "That doesn't seem like you."

"No, it's when everything seems hopeless that I'm at my strongest." Casey roared in return. "Junglechuks, full power!"

Powering up his weapon with the power of his tiger spirit, Casey smashed the Bat Master to the ground and out of his Ranger Form. He rushed to Swoop's side as he rolled to a halt.

"Are you alright?" Casey asked him, checking over him.

"I'm fine, I'm just winded." He replied. "Casey, go before its too late!"

Casey looked to the blind master once more, satisfying himself that he was uninjured, before sprinting up the side of the temple.

"Come on Casey!" Dominic yelled encouragement. "You can do it, we all know you can!"

"Casey, come on!" Lily yelled. "You're nearly there."

"Guys." Theo said sadly as he pointed to the west. The sun sank beneath the tree-line. Casey reached out, but felt his heart sinking as the crystal stopped glowing. The rangers found themselves being teleported back to the apartment.

None of them could mistake the look of disappointment in Casey's face as he turned and wordlessly left the room, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Casey!" Lily called out, but RJ held up a hand and shook his head. If Casey wanted to talk, then he would, but right now he had to overcome his disappointment. RJ sighed as he realised what he had feared had come to pass. Casey's mind wasn't able to focus on the task at hand because he still felt guilty about Camille being kidnapped.

"What do we do?" Dominic asked him.

"We wait for him to come to us." RJ replied. "Until then, we can't help him."

The others looked at each other sadly. Despite their accomplishment, despite their pride in their achievement, they couldn't feel less like celebrating. He hadn't reached the crystal in time.

Casey had failed.


	14. The Mark of a Master

Casey had left the room, and indeed the restaurant some time ago, leaving the other Rangers and the masters in the apartment. The masters all looked around each other nervously as they Rangers just sat there silently. Fran came into the room carrying a tray of champagne glasses.

"Congratulations guys!" She yelled out excitedly. "I know I should have waited but..." her voice trailed off as she saw the subdued atmosphere in the room. She was a little confused; she knew the trial was a big deal. Theo had talked to her many times about how much it would mean to him to attain the rank of master.

The others all just looked at Fran a little sadly. In all the chaos, they had forgotten about Fran. She had obviously been planning to surprise them. RJ just breathed a sigh of relief that Casey was not in the apartment at the time. Fran didn't mean anything by it, but he was sure that he'd take it as a slap in the face. He could be quite sensitive when he was upset.

"What happened?" She asked weakly. She felt badly looking around the room. She was expecting them to be celebrating. "Where's Casey?"

"We all passed." Lily breathed gently. "Casey didn't."

Fran set down the tray and joined them on the couch, sitting next to Theo, accepting a hug. She could understand now the mood in the room. She understood how much it would have meant for them to earn their stripes, so she could sympathise with the disappointment Casey must be feeling at failing the trial.

"We all feel bad about what happened to Casey." Swoop finally managed to say, shifting uncomfortably on the couch to make himself a little more comfortable. Casey's final attack had taken a lot out of him, and he was sure his ribs were bruised. "But Fran was right; this is a time of celebration. It's an important time for all of you."

"We're all happy we passed." Dominic told him. "We just don't really feel much like celebrating."

"I never thought I'd feel this badly if I passed." Lily sighed. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"He passed all the trials." Theo reminded them. "He got to the temple. He beat Swoop..."

"But he didn't get to the crystal in time." Finn replied. "He didn't complete the trial. We can't pass him."

"But he missed out by seconds." Dom protested. "Surely allowances can be made."

"You're talking about throwing thousands of years of tradition out of the window!" Phant yelled. "We all feel badly about what happened to Casey, but if we just ignore the fact that he didn't pass the trial, it demeans the efforts of every master there's ever been!"

"I'm going for some air." Dominic grumbled, getting up and heading downstairs.

"Dominic, we still have to perform the ceremony." Swoop reminded him.

"We'll be back in time." Theo replied, going with him. Fran and Lily followed on. RJ held up a hand as Swoop was about to get up.

"They have to have a little time to themselves." He told them getting up. "What happened today wasn't just a blow to Casey. It was a blow to all of them. He's their friend."

"RJ, we all sympathise with what happened to Casey." Finn stated. "But we've all been through the trial. We test our masters so stringently for a reason."

"I know we do dad." RJ sighed. "That doesn't mean we have to like it."

"Casey will make a fine master. We can all see that." Phant told him. "But it isn't his time yet. There will be other days."

RJ nodded and left the room. He knew the masters weren't going to be swayed in their decision. He made his way downstairs to find them gathered in the restaurant. Breathing a sigh, he headed inside. He knew they needed to talk.

Back at the Fortress, Snapper and Scorch had finally deemed it time to put their plan into action.

"Are you certain this will work?" Snapper asked him.

"Dai Shi is losing control of the human he possessed. We both know that." Scorch stated. "Until we can gather enough power to destroy him ourselves, we need to buy time. The human seems strongest around the woman."

"How will destroying her give us that power?" He asked. "Even if we take her rinzin, it would not be enough."

"We each gave him a portion of our rinzin power to make him the Phantom Beast King." He reminded his fellow General. "Then we split our power further to make Camille a General. And yet Dai Shi has since absorbed the rinzin from our brother Whiger."

"I know all of that." Snapper continued. "So his power exceeds ours."

"Exactly." Scorch replied. "So we sic the remaining Phantom Beast Warriors on Camille."

"He would destroy us if we harm Camille." Snapper stated. "And Camille's power exceeds theirs. Like it or not she is a general."

"You are not thinking far enough ahead." Scorch replied. "Firstly, Camille cannot access her chameleon spirit because of the phoenix, and even if she could it wouldn't be powerful enough."

"But the phoenix spirit..."

"The phoenix spirit is completely under Dai Shi's command." Scorch interrupted him. "Camille has no control over it; she cannot call it forth without his orders."

"So she will be destroyed." He stated.

"Then our rinzin will be returned to us because of her destruction." Scorch replied. "And because it was not US who destroyed her..."

"Dai Shi will not blame us." Snapper concluded. "Unless one of them talks."

"We just make sure they don't." Scorch responded coldly. "After all it is no offence to destroy a traitor."

"We destroy them ourselves." Snapper chuckled. "I'm glad you are loyal to me Scorch."

"We will claim their rinzin for our own." Scorch finished. "Then when the time is right, we will use our power to reclaim that which we gave him, and avenge our fallen brother Whiger."

They entered a room finding the remaining three Phantom Beasts training as they awaited orders. Seeing the Generals enter the room, they all lined up and bowed, awaiting their orders.

"Sonimax, Osiris Lepus, it is time for you to prove yourselves." Scorch told them. "Dai Shi has special orders for you. He has found a traitor in his midst."

"A traitor?" Sonimax asked as the three began eyeing each other suspiciously. Scorch looked to Snapper in a wordless gesture of triumph.

"It is no-one in his room." He replied. "Camille has gained control over her phoenix spirit, but rather than simply escaping, she is undermining Dai Shi's plans, that is how the Rangers knew how to destroy Grinder."

"You know what to do." Snapper continued. "Destroy her!"

With that, the three Phantom Beasts left the room, preparing to carry out the orders they had received seemingly from Dai Shi himself. Snapper smiled.

"Maybe we should stick close by." Snapper suggested. "After all, we should be there in case..."

Scorch silenced him with a gesture as Dai Shi strode into the room. He appeared to be quite dishevelled, and he appeared to be heading in the direction of the cells.

"This is bad." Snapper whispered. "If he gets there..."

With that, Scorch struck a section of the wall, causing a secret door to open.

"This will get us to the cells before all of them." He replied. "I have a plan."

At this, Snapper followed Scorch into the tunnel. Things were looking more than a little bleak right now, but Scorch had gotten him this far. He trusted the Dragon Master to steer him through this crisis.

Meanwhile, Casey was wandering the streets of Ocean Bluff, completely oblivious to the cold. He had left the restaurant to gather his thoughts as soon as the trial had ended, and so he hadn't even gathered a jacket. Living in California, it wasn't that cold, but it was still a little less than comfortable. He wrapped his arms around himself as he leant on a railing a little way from the edge of the harbour and looked out into the night.

He felt his chest tightening as he thought about his failure in the trial. He had a good idea what had caused him to fail, his head couldn't have been further from the trial. It pained him to think about how much he had been through to get to this point. While he was disappointed at not getting his stripes, the biggest thing that hurt was not failing. It was feeling like he had failed those who had supported him. He'd failed his father, his mother, Master Mao, Master Finn, RJ...most of all he had failed Camille. She had sacrificed herself for him, and he had let her down. She deserved better than him. She deserved someone who could save her in return, and yet he couldn't even pass this test.

"Maybe Theo was right all along." He sighed. "Maybe I am just a cub."

He proceeded on his long, lonely journey, heading for the woods. He always found the peace and quiet there calming. He often went there when he had to think, and tonight he had a lot to think about. He needed to find a reason to carry on fighting.

Back in the fortress, Camille was sleeping as soundly as she could in the cell when she heard a shuffling outside the door.

She lifted her head up, straining to see in the low light of the evening. The fortress was dark at the best of times, but during the night, and lit only by a few wall-mounted candles it was incredibly hard to focus. Still, she could just about make out a dark shadow on the wall opposite her. She heard the distinctive clunking sound of the locking mechanism, before the shadow disappeared. She made her way over to the door, peering between the bars to see who was there, but seeing no-one. It was then that the door moved. Shoving it, she found it swinging open without resistance. Whoever had been outside had unlocked her cell. She stepped out into the hall nervously, looking up and down the corridor; she found no signs of her mysterious saviour. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, she began making her way along the corridor.

"There she is! She's escaped!" Osiris yelled, causing her to turn around in fright as she saw the Phantom Beast Warriors approaching. "It seems Dai Shi was right."

Her heart pounded as she realised her predicament. She was alone in the dungeon, she couldn't access her chameleon spirit because of the phoenix, and even if she could, she would still be no match for any of them, much less all three. Seeing no other option, she turned and ran, hoping her greater knowledge of the layout of the fortress would help her escape.

"After her!" Sonimax screamed as she rounded a corner out of view, with her would-be assassins in hot pursuit.

Dai Shi arrived in the dungeon a short time later, to see Lupus rounding the corner rather quickly. He was curious as to what she was even doing down there, much less why she was running. Making his way down, he noticed a cell door hanging open. Rushing over, he confirmed his fear. Camille's cell was empty. Rage burned inside him as he realised what had happened. Without another word, he rushed off in hot pursuit of his treacherous warriors.

Camille stumbled through the corridors as quickly as she could, making her way through the maze of tunnels leading through the fortress, finally finding her way into the northern clearing. Looking around, she looked for somewhere to hide. Seeing the gnarled old oak tree that had at one time been the portal, she headed towards it, throwing herself into the hollow, though finding herself surprisingly being transported into Ocean Bluff's woods.

She finally rolled to a stop at the foot of a hill, looking around in confusion. Someone had re-opened the portal to allow her to escape, no doubt the same someone that had opened her cell. Struggling to her feet despite a few minor injuries, she looked around for some indication of which direction to go to the city, before being blasted off her feet.

"So, you're helplessly under his control are you?" Sonimax stated as he arrived on the scene. "Dai Shi will reward us richly when we destroy his traitor."

"He may even make us generals." Lupus responded arriving from another direction. Camille headed towards seemingly the only other path available to her, stopping short as she saw Osiris before her.

"Looks like you have nowhere else to run." He taunted her. "Now, which of us will get the honour?"

"Please, let Lupus do it." Camille said nervously, her voice cracking a little. She knew she was no match for her without the power of her phoenix spirit, but she wasn't in control of it, only Dai Shi could order it to come forth. Of course, she knew there was another way, a way to force it to defend itself. "Her talons are razor sharp. I will not suffer. Please, let her do it."

"Normally we'd like you to suffer a little." Lupus replied, coming over to her. "Bit since you want to give me the privilege..."

Her voice tailed off in shock as Camille did something she could never have anticipated. She grabbed the Phantom Beast's wrist, and plunged Lupus' talons deep into her own abdomen. She fell to her knees feeling weak as the Phantoms watched in surprise.

Casey was running through the woods when he heard a blood-curdling scream reverberating through the cold night air. His heart and his mind immediately focussed on only one thing as he recognised the voice. It was Camille.

The Phantom Beasts looked at Camille in surprise as she knelt on the ground, bleeding heavily from the self-inflicted wound to her abdomen.

"You are so desperate to die that you do this to yourself?" Osiris sneered. "Well, you won't suffer much longer."

"Nor will you!" Camille roared, looking up at them, her eyes glowing. "You do not understand the nature of animal spirits, but I do. Now the odds are a little more even!"

With that, the phoenix spirit, sensing its survival under threat burst forth, forming the phoenix armour around her. Camille got back to her feet, her injury still telling on her, but by now the phoenix had taken over. Now she had a chance. She fell upon her startled opponents with a furious assault, one born out of sheer instinct. Now they realised they had no simple hunt on their hands. Now they had a fight.

Casey pushed through the forest, making his way towards the direction of the scream, not even noticing the branches and thorns whipping and tearing painfully at his flesh. The terrain was not his friend, making progress slow going, he just prayed he wasn't already too late.

Back at the site of the battle, Camille was thrown roughly to the ground, her strength quickly failing her. Even the phoenix spirit hadn't proven to be enough to overcome her attackers. As she watched them approaching her ready to strike the final blow, she consoled herself that at least they knew they'd had to fight for it.

That was when Dai Shi arrived, battering his hapless and confused warriors to the ground with dismissive ease.

"Leave her!" He growled. He came to Camille's side and cradled her gently.

"You saved me." She said weakly. "Why?"

"You mean too much to me to let anything happen to you." He said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. He placed a hand gently on her abdomen and she saw a couple of tears beginning to run down his face. "We shared something precious together, even if it was only for a few weeks."

"Jarrod?" She asked. He nodded in response. He turned and faced the Phantom Beasts with an expression of rage on his face.

"You dare to touch her?" He snarled.

"But we heard you said..."

"Not another word!" He interrupted Sonimax as he brought forth the Griffon armour. Camille looked on in amazement. Jarrod shouldn't have been able to control the power of rinzin, no human should have. But she knew it had to be Jarrod that was fighting in her defence. He surged forward, dashing his warriors this way and that in a display of awesome power that left them quaking in fear.

"Good luck!" Lupus shrieked as she turned tail and fled in desperation. "I'm leaving."

Casey finally arrived in time to see Dai Shi power up his attack, utterly destroying Sonimax and Osiris, before returning once more to Camille's side.

"Leave her alone!" He shouted, leaping from the nearby ridge he was on, confronting Jarrod. Powering down, Jarrod held his hands up defensively.

"I mean her no harm." He told his enemy. "I only wish to help her."

"Casey, its Jarrod." Camille told him weakly, her strength quickly leaving her. "He saved me."

"Casey, I know you care for her, but let me take her." Jarrod implored him.

"Are you serious?" He shrieked. "She's been your prisoner for..."

"Casey, her wounds are life-threatening." He told him. "She will not survive if I do not take her back to the fortress. The power of rinzin can restore her, but it is not safe here."

"Casey, I love you." She whispered. Casey looked down into her eyes, seeing her beginning to fade. He knew what Jarrod said was true, she would surely die before reaching a hospital, and the phoenix spirit was still inside her. With a few fresh tears, he took the engagement ring off his necklace and gave it to her.

"Hide that, if Dai Shi knows you have it, he'll use it against you." He told her. Camille shoved it away in a pocket. Casey placed a warm kiss on her lips before releasing her.

"Take her." He implored Jarrod. "Please, take care of her."

"I'll do what I can." He replied. "She is too precious to Dai Shi for him to allow her to die, so whichever one of us is in control when we get back to the temple will heal her I promise."

"I believe you." Casey responded. "Thank you Jarrod."

"Thank you too Casey." He replied, picking up Camille's limp, weak body. "I know you'll save her."

Casey watched them go, feeling a sense of regret. He knew he'd made the right choice to let Jarrod take her; she didn't stand a chance of surviving if he didn't. Of course it still wasn't easy to let her go. He was shaken from his thoughts as a power blast sent him flying.

"Perhaps if I destroy the Red Ranger, Dai Shi will forgive me!" Lepus suggested, the desperation obvious in her voice.

"Trust me; this is SO not the day to piss me off!" Casey yelled, activating his morpher. "Jungle Beast, SPIRIT UNLEASHED!"

Back in the apartment, the others were still discussing what they planned to do about Casey when their morphers bleeped. The Masters arrived a short time later from the back room.

"Casey needs our help in the woods." Finn told them. "He was in battle with a Phantom Beast, but Scorch and Snapper have arrived."

"Looks like it's time to even up the odds." RJ commented. "So Fran, are you ready for your first official battle as part of the team?"

"You know me RJ." She responded. "Always ready for a challenge."

With that, they all morphed and left to help their friend.

Back at the fortress, Jarrod laid Camille gently on his throne.

"Thank you." She said softly as he laid a hand on her wound. Rinzin power glowed gently, causing the mortal wound to close and heal in seconds. "Another moment and I'd have been destroyed."

"I'd never let that happen." He whispered gently, stroking her cheek. She smiled at the warmth of his touch. There was an unspoken connection between them both, one that could never be broken. Although Camille's heart was with Casey there was a love between them that only they could understand, the love that came from the creation of a life.

She shuddered as she saw him flinching and his eyes glowing. She knew what this meant. Jarrod had finally lost control back to Dai Shi. His face changed from an expression of comforting to one of rage.

"Get off of my throne!" He snarled, throwing her across the room. She looked at him from the floor, saddened by the shift back to the man who had abused her for thousands of years. "Sit in the corner and don't move." He told her. "I have to wait on some real traitors."

Scorch and Snapper returned, noticeably shaken and weakened by the battle. They had seen the inevitability of Lepus' destruction at the hands of the Rangers, and had decided to concentrate on damage control as an alternative to noble sacrifice.

"Speak of the devils." He sneered, casting aside his cloak. Scorch and Snapper looked to each other awaiting their punishment. They knew there would be hell to pay.

Back at JKP, the team returned after their battle. Fran froze up for a second, seeing the champagne glasses on the table and covered them with a service cloth.

"Rangers, I know this isn't the best time, but the moon phase is almost over." Phant told them. "I'm sorry Casey, but we must perform the ceremony..."

"Actually we've been talking, and we won't do it." Lily interrupted him. "If Casey isn't getting his stripes, none of us will either."

"RJ?" Finn asked. RJ just shrugged and shook his head. He had explained to them what this would mean, but they were more concerned for Casey's peace of mind than their master's marks.

"Guys, you shouldn't miss out on my account." Casey told them. "Seriously, I'll deal with it."

"Casey, our master's tattoos will be a permanent reminder of what happened." Theo reminded him. "Are you sure you're cool with that? We'd much rather have a functional team than a tattoo."

"Guys, you earned your stripes, you should be proud." He told them, pulling the service cloth off the champagne glasses Fran had hidden. "Sure I'm bummed, but there'll be other days. Perform the ceremony. I'll be cool, I promise. I'm happy for you."

RJ went first to Dom and took his right forearm in his hand.

"Dominic. Do you promise to be at the ready to serve the Pai Zhuq temple in times of need, and to pledge yourself to the fight against Dai Shi?" He asked.

"I will." Dominic replied. RJ's hand glowed brightly, forming into a claw, which he used to slash Dominic's forearm, before dragging one claw back across it. Dominic winced in pain as they saw his wound glowing brightly, almost burning, before forming into his tattoo. He pulled down his sleeve and stepped aside, accepting a glass from Casey. Theo stepped up next.

"Theo. Do you promise to be at the ready to serve the Pai Zhuq temple in times of need, and to pledge yourself to the fight against Dai Shi?" He asked.

"I will." Theo replied. RJ again powered up his claw hand, slashing his forearm. Theo looked to be on the verge of crying from the pain of the ritual scarring, but once his master's mark formed, the pain seemed to subside. He went over to Casey, accepting another glass. Lily stepped up next. RJ looked a little hesitant as he looked at her. Finn got up from his chair and made his way over, gesturing RJ aside before taking her forearm in his hand.

"Look at me and don't think about it." He told her. "Lily. Do you promise to be at the ready to serve the Pai Zhuq temple in times of need, and to pledge yourself to the fight against Dai Shi?"

"I will." She replied. Finn powered up his own claw, slashing her forearm, causing her to yelp as she felt the energy claws plunge into her flesh, before the wound started burning painfully. Her stripes formed, causing the pain to subside, but having felt it, she could understand why RJ hadn't wanted to do it to her. She accepted a glass of champagne from Casey.

"I propose a toast. To those who earned their stripes today," Swoop announced, "and those who will receive them another day."

"To the team!" Everyone chorused. Dominic nudged Casey and gestured for him to follow him outside.

"Dom, I'm really OK with this." He stated. "Sure I'm bummed, but I'll be fine."

"I just wanted to show you this." He said, pulling up his sleeve and showing him his mark. It was just like the insignia on his uniform, a claw mark, overlaid with a tick. "My insignia's different because I took a different path."

"Why are you showing me this?" Casey asked him. Dom smiled.

"To remind you there's more than one way to become a master." Dominic replied. "Now, feel like celebrating?"

"I really do." Casey responded with a smile. Today might not have gone as he'd hoped, but in some ways he felt like he'd gotten something far more valuable than a master's mark. His hope of freeing Jarrod and Camille had been renewed.

Back in the fortress, Scorch and Snapper threw Camille back into her cell, locking her inside. Dai Shi had given them a ferocious beating for betraying him, and they weren't keen to repeat the experience. Their plan had failed, leaving them desperately seeking another. Camille lay in the corner of her cell, turning so that she couldn't be seen from the door and pulled her engagement ring back onto her finger, smiling as she did so. She too had renewed hope of getting out of this nightmare.


	15. The Heart of a Fox

A/N: This chapter is not connected to any episode, just a filler to burn some time while I wait for the next episode. Hope you like it.

Fran woke up early the next day, next to the gently snoring form of her fiancé, finding it unusual that he was sleeping so late. RJ had decided to keep the restaurant closed so that they could all enjoy the festivities of the evening. As he stirred a little, she got another look at the master's stripes, feeling a warm glow of pride in him. He had always worked so hard, she knew he deserved to earn his title.

"Good morning." She greeted him with a grin as she gently shook him awake. "Master Guar."

Theo smirked a little at the name. By tradition, when a student earned their stripes they were granted a title of honour by the Masters which related to their animal spirits. Swoop and Finn had all but abandoned using their birth names. They had no real dealings in the outside world, and were so devoted to Pai Zhuq that they tended to use their titles of honour, considering them their true names. Phant meanwhile only used his birth name in front of his brother and his sister-in-law to maintain the secrecy of the temple. Only his niece, Gabby was aware of his duel identity due to her close relationship with him, but like the others he had since largely dropped his birth name in favour of his master's title.

They had since found out that even RJ had a master's title. He had been granted the name of Master Fenris when he was granted his stripes, though unlike the others, he had dealings with the public at large, and so tended to still use RJ. Theo still found it odd to think that he now had a new name. He was still proud to be Theo Martin, and would continue to be called that, though now he had an official name for use in ceremonies at the temple. Swoop had come up with the title of Master Guar.

"You can still call me Theo." He reminded her sleepily as he turned over. "I'm sure Dom's not going to start making us call him Master Tusk, and something tells me Lily's cell phone bill isn't going to be coming to Master Cheet."

"I still think it's kind of cool." She gushed, prodding him in the ribs to wake him. Theo looked at her a little grumpily after having been wakened so aggressively. "I'm getting to marry a master."

"You get to do a lot more than that with a master." He said with a mischievous grin as he pulled her in closer, holding her warmly. "I just wish you weren't such an early riser. It's not often we get the luxury of a long lie, we really should make the most of it."

"Well since you have so much energy," she whispered, drawing closely, her lips almost connecting with his, before pulling away giggling, "come for a walk with me."

Theo muttered something under his breath as he realised that he wasn't going to get any more time in bed with her. When Fran was feeling hyper, it was best just to go along with that. He'd found out long ago that trying to curb her enthusiasm rarely worked. Normally it was one of the things he loved about her, but after the trial and the battle the previous day, he was kind of hoping for a quiet morning. Fran had already beaten him into the shower, so he satisfied himself by looking out an outfit for himself that morning.

Rummaging through his drawers, he found a pair of black jeans and a blue t-shirt. He paused and thought about it for a second. Casey had told them he was alright with them earning their stripes, and had been pleased for them during the ceremony and the celebration that followed, but everyone knew how disappointed he was not to be joining them. He put the t-shirt back, pulling out a long-sleeved tee. He figured that despite Casey being happy for them, it was best not to rub his face in it by parading their tattoos around all day in front of him. Fran came back into the room, drying herself and pulling her robe around herself as she came in.

"The shower's great." She told him. "It looks like we're up first, so there's a full tank of hot water."

"It'll make a change not to freeze my butt off." He commented. "If Casey gets up first, then the water's freezing for ages."

"I still can't believe he takes the longest in the shower. I would have thought it would have been Lily." She chuckled, brushing her hair. "What does he do in there?"

"I shudder to think." Theo replied, getting his towel. "But once I overheard him singing 'Summer Nights' from Grease."

"That's not so unusual." Fran told him.

"BOTH parts?" Theo asked. Fran couldn't help laughing getting a mental image of Casey singing Sandy's part of the song. "I'll be out shortly."

Fran began looking out her own clothing, deciding on a pair of blue jeans and a bright orange jersey. She hadn't been especially fond of the colour orange before her Ranger days, but since she'd started buying clothes to match her designated Ranger colour as befitted the unofficial tradition set by the others. Finishing getting dressed and fixing her hair, Theo arrived in the room, beginning to gather his clothes.

"Fancy getting some doughnuts while we're out?" She asked him. "I've got a bit of a sweet tooth this morning."

"Anything you want." He said, pulling on his jeans. "I could go for some doughnuts."

"There's a great place near my old house." Fran told him. "I'd love to take you there."

She could hear Theo sucking his teeth as she mentioned her old house. It was sweet that he worried about her, but she had moved on from the days when she used to subsist in the house her mother had abandoned her in as a teenager. While it still hurt to think about her past, she had been able to move on from it. She leaned over kissing his cheek softly.

"I'll be fine Theo." She told him reassuringly. "I don't feel bad about that place any more."

"Really?" He asked her. "You haven't been back."

"Why would I go back?" She asked him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in. "I've got you here, what's there to go back for?"

Theo smiled as she said this and pulled her into a long, soft kiss, losing himself in the arms of the woman he loved so much. He knew she was glossing over it, and he knew it still hurt her to think about her past, but at least she had the attitude that she had a present that blocked out the pain. He was glad to be there for her.

Elsewhere in the apartment, Casey had also gotten up early, and was preparing for a run. As he prepared to pull on a jersey, he caught a glance of his right forearm and froze, breathing a small sigh. He was happy for the others, and he'd meant what he said when he told them he wanted them to get their stripes and that they'd earned them, but that didn't stop him being disappointed that he'd failed to earn them himself. He remembered Dominic's words the night before.

"There's more than one way to become a master." He told the tiger. During the night he'd gone on to explain that during his travels, he'd studied techniques from several other disciplines, combining them with his training to create the style he used now. It wasn't much comfort at this time, Dai Shi still hadn't been defeated, so he couldn't afford to go travelling the world seeking new training as Dom had, but it was comforting to think that he could still accomplish his goal to become the tiger master.

Figuring he could wait to take the trial again, he finished getting dressed and made his way out of the apartment. As disappointed as he was that he didn't have the title of master, he had something more important. He had hope for the return of his fiancée. Until she was back safely, he was just going to concentrate on the battles ahead and forget about the trial. Since he wasn't able to take the trial again anytime soon anyway, it wasn't a distraction any more. All he could think about was Jarrod and Camille. They needed him, and he was determined not to fail them as he had failed himself.

Theo and Fran were taking a gentle stroll along the sidewalk, taking in the fresh air and just enjoying each other's company. It was unusually chilly for California, but since it was beginning to come into fall it wasn't surprising. There were already a few individual leaves beginning to turn brown and fall from their branches.

Fran nudged Theo and nodded in the direction of a play park, to one family in particular.

It was a young family, only a few years older than them, but they already had a couple of beautiful children, two boys and a girl, happily playing on the jungle gym. The father gestured to the little girl to jump down, and while she protested in terror at first, she was eventually reassured enough to trust him and jump. He caught her, holding her warmly to his chest as they both laughed.

"You ever think about us like that?" She asked him. Theo looked at her a little nervously, but eventually relaxed as he realised she was serious.

"I always wanted to have kids." He told her honestly. "You?"

"I always did." She sighed. Theo could notice a shift in her mood, and put his arm around her, pulling her in closely.

"You could sound a little more enthusiastic." He chuckled playfully. "I mean it was you who brought it up."

"I know. I don't know why I got this way." She began. She looked to him a little nervously. "Do...do you think I'd...you know...be a good mom?"

Theo separated from her a little bit. He knew where this was coming from, and felt badly about how much it upset her.

"You'll be a great mom." He assured her. "You're great with kids, you're patient..."

"It's just that, I don't really have much of a role model for how to be a parent." She continued. "I've never had that kind of relationship with my own parents. How am I meant to know what to do?"

"Trust me; even those with great parents are nervous about the prospect of becoming parents themselves." He reassured her. "My own folks were pretty decent. A little demanding, but I guess they wanted me to do well and be happy in their own way."

"I'd really like to meet them." She replied, reminding him that because of all the commotion over the last few months, he hadn't gotten around to inviting his parents to meet his friends and Fran. They knew about her, he just hadn't actually introduced her.

"I know your parents did a number on you, but it's made you stronger as a person." He told her, putting his arm back around her and leading her down the path. "We all learn from our parents, especially from their mistakes. That's what makes us stronger parents when it's our turn."

"Well my parents gave me plenty of material to learn from." She muttered sadly as they walked. "I'll never treat our kids the way they treated me."

Theo couldn't help smiling as she said this. She had said 'our kids'. She was already thinking about their family, a thought which excited Theo greatly.

"Well I intend to cut our kids a little more slack than my parents did." He told her. "We'll be fine."

Fran leant over to him, kissing his cheek. She was always a little nervous about the prospect of family. She'd never really known one until she moved in with the Rangers. Her only experiences with family had been neglect and cruelty, but with Theo there, she knew she had the strength she'd need. He was right, she would be better than her own mom, and she'd never treat her own family so poorly.

"So...have you had any thoughts as to what you'd like?" Theo asked her.

"I was kind of thinking a girl, maybe a boy later on." She mused. "I know you're a twin, but I hope your family doesn't have a history of that. I'd like SOME rest between labours..."

"Actually I meant from the doughnut shop." He laughed. "But I was hoping for a couple. Maybe three if you feel up to it."

Fran stopped in her tracks as she noticed something ahead of her. Theo figured it had to be coming into the street of her old house.

"Fran, its fine you don't have to go back there." Theo told her reassuringly. "We'll eat somewhere else..."

Fran grabbed him and turned his face towards the house and he could see what had surprised her. It was in surprisingly good repair considering how it had been when she left. It had been completely re-painted and the lights were on, indicating that it still had power despite it now being months since she'd paid an electricity bill for the place. Outside was a realtor's sign, reading 'for sale'.

"How can they sell the house?" Theo asked her. "I thought your mom paid the mortgage when the insurance cheque from your dad's insurance cleared."

"She did Theo." Fran reminded him. She brushed his arm off and made her way over to the house, approaching the front door. She found that it was open, heading inside. Theo followed her for support.

"Good Morning!" A voice boomed from the lounge, causing them to jump. Fran looked as a man in a cheap, polyester business suit came out, approaching them confidently and handing her a business card. "I'm Eric Sandler of Sandler and Son Realtors. Are you looking to buy?"

"Maybe." Fran lied in a gasp, looking around. The repairs weren't just limited to the outside. All of the plaster had been completely re-done, and the house freshly-painted in a neutral shade of magnolia. Fresh carpeting seemed to have been laid throughout the house.

"Well let me take you on a tour." He suggested. "This house would be perfect for a young family. So are you recently married?"

Theo looked to Fran, gauging her reaction. She'd lived in the husk of this place for close to two years before the Rangers found out how she lived and invited her to stay with them. To see the place like this, back to its former glory was nothing short of a resurrection. He came to her side reminding her he was there.

"We're not married yet." He told the realtor. "We plan on it soon."

"Well, first let me show you the kitchen." Eric stated, leading them inside. This room had been completely gutted and started again. Gone were the worn lino and the aging units, replaced by a new kitchen suite.

"There's lots of storage space, plenty of work surface area, and plumbing to accommodate a washer, dryer and dish washer."

Fran seemed taken aback at the transformation in the place. It was like someone had actually intended to use it. With the exception of a lack of kitchen appliances, it looked like a working kitchen. Eric led them next into the living room. Fran looked ready to keel over when she saw the one room she actually used in the house when she lived there alone. All the furniture had gone, even the makeshift furniture that she'd used as an alternative when times were so desperate she'd resorted to selling what little her mother had left behind.

"As you can see, the living area is spacious, with lots of natural light. Perfect for raising a family."

Theo put his arm around Fran as he could see the thoughts coming back to her. This was where she had grown up, and it was where she had been abandoned. It must have been terrible for her to be surrounded by so many memories.

Eric kept talking, but Fran couldn't hear anything he had to say. All she could do was follow him around and gaze in amazement around the refurbished house as she considered everything. She had guessed why this had all happened, but she still needed confirmation. Eric finished the tour with the master bedroom. Other than the bathroom and the kitchen, this was the only room that had any furniture in it. A large, brand-new king-size bed was there to demonstrate the size of the room. Gazing at the bed, she could almost see her father passed-out drunk after his latest violent temper-tantrum, or her mother there with her latest meal-ticket boyfriend.

"Miss?" Eric said, bringing her attention back to reality. "I said, do you like it?"

"Could you give us a moment?" Theo asked him. Eric nodded and left the room, leaving him to comfort Fran. She sat on the edge of the bed, her heart all but completely ripped out.

"Fran, it's alright, you don't have to live here now." He assured her. "I know there are bad memories here..."

"You don't get it Theo, there's only one way the house can be on the market!" She snapped. She strode out to the realtor purposefully, confronting him.

"When did this house go on the market?" She asked him as calmly as she could.

"A...about a week ago." He stammered. "The owner had it renovated for a quick sale."

"Did you see her?" Fran asked him in a slightly more accusatory tone. Eric looked puzzled.

"I never said the owner was a woman." He remarked. "How could you know that?"

Fran pulled out her driving licence and thrust it into his hand. He looked at it a little nervously as he read the name.

"My bitch of a mother not only abandoned me, now she comes back into town without so much as a word and tries to sell the house from under me!" She roared aggressively. Theo came over to her, pulling her into a comforting hug.

"Could you please go and give us a minute?" He asked Eric. The startled realtor headed down to the kitchen to make himself a much-needed cup of coffee to steady his nerves.

"I knew she was callous, but I never thought she could do this." Fran whimpered as Theo held her. "Theo, mom owns the house, the only way it could go on the market is if she put it up for sale."

"Fran I..."

"Damn it Theo, I was living here!" She snarled. "At least when mom left I had a roof over my head. Now without so much as checking to see if I'd be alright tried to take that from me too!"

"Fran, I can't imagine how much this hurts." He told her. "At least you have a home with us."

Fran pulled in tighter to her fiancée, all but completely crushed by her mother's callous disregard for her welfare. She was glad Theo was with her for this. He kissed her gently and started to lead her from the room.

"Come on, let's go." He told her. "There's no need to upset yourself any more. Let's get those doughnuts."

Fran and Theo began to make their way out of the door when a car arrived outside. Eric approached the car, talking with the man inside and accepting an envelope.

"I'm so sorry about this; I had no idea who you were." He told them apologetically. "The owner left and envelope in your name with us and told me to give it to you if you showed up."

Fran tore open the envelope and began reading. Theo held her as she read the letter inside.

"What is it?" He asked her.

"It's nothing." She replied. "Just mom telling me that she's selling the house and saying she hopes I'm alright."

Theo was more than a little suspicious as she said this. It wasn't like she didn't have a good reason to be hurt, but he got the feeling Fran wasn't telling him the full story. Respecting her privacy, he let it drop as she shoved the letter away in her back pocket. He knew she'd tell him if she wanted to, and with that, she smiled at him, wiping away a few tears.

"What about those doughnuts?" She asked him, heading in the direction of the shop.

Later that night, Theo and the others were all watching an old movie on the television when Fran took another look at the letter. She hadn't actually told Theo the full story when she'd received it. There was more than a simple eviction notice in there, her mother had left a cell phone number and asked her to call to set up a meeting. Feeling the need for an explanation, Fran went outside and dialled her cell phone.

"Who is it?" A familiar voice on the other end asked. Fran's lip quivered as she heard it for the first time in two years.

"Mom, it's me." She replied shakily, fighting back a few tears. "You wanted me to call you?"

"Fran?" She asked. "Fran, of course you must have gotten the letter."

"Mom, where have you been? Why is the house for sale?" She asked.

"Fran, sweetie, I'll explain, but I really shouldn't do this over the phone." She replied. Fran almost lost the rag as her mother called her 'sweetie'. The last few months she'd been with Fran, she spent all her time looking for a meal ticket boyfriend, all the while making sure Fran felt worthless and telling her she was responsible for her father's death. "Meet me in the car park outside the 99 cent store. I'll explain everything."

Fran hung up, and gathered her coat, heading out into the night. She didn't even notice that Theo had been going to get a snack from the fridge and seen her go. Feeling concern for her state of mind given the shock she'd received earlier, Theo followed her at a safe distance. He wanted to be there if she needed him.

Ran arrived in the car park as the street lights came on, lighting up the parking lot. Looking around, she saw the door of a dark blue sedan opening. She recognised her mother immediately. She was a little shorter than Fran, and of slight build, though she appeared to be taking a lot more care of her appearance as of late. She wore a white pants suit with a dark blue silk blouse, and patent black leather high heels. Her hair was blonde from a bottle and styled into a bob. She came over to Fran with a broad smile.

"Sweetie!" She greeted her daughter enthusiastically. She threw herself into a hug with her daughter, which she returned politely. "How have you been?"

"Oh you know, camping out in a house with no lights and no heating for two years, having been abandoned with nothing more than a letter and a twenty dollar bill." She snapped. "The usual."

Her mother winced as she said this. She had expected her to be angry, and that wasn't going to make this any easier.

"You look healthy." She continued.

"Some friends took me in when they found out." Fran replied. "I've got a job, a home and I'm getting married to a great guy that really looks out for me."

Theo smiled from his hiding place behind a dumpster in the alley by the store as he heard this. He had guessed that this was Fran's mom, and that she'd come to meet her to get an explanation, but he knew she'd only be angry if he got involved without her asking. He kept a watchful eye over the meeting.

"I'm glad to hear everything worked out for you." Her mother told her with a sigh. "I was a little messed up when I left. I can't tell you how sorry I am for what happened."

"Mom, where have you been?" She asked her. "It's been two years!"

"I left town with Derek like you know, but things didn't go too well with that. He ended up leaving me at a truck stop in Vancouver." She told her. "I was homeless for three months."

"You sure did know how to pick the ones that treated you the worst." Fran conceded. "You're looking better now."

"I got together with a new guy, Frank." She told her daughter, gesturing to the car. "He got me sober and we're getting married soon."

"I'm happy for you." Fran responded a little sceptically. "So why are you selling the house? You knew I lived there..."

"When I came back to talk to you about it you had already left." She informed her. "Frank's buying into a business in Illinois, and needed some capitol. It's a sure-fire thing; he's bound to make a go of it. So I told him I'd get the money."

Fran still wasn't happy about it, but it made sense that she'd sell the house if she needed money quickly.

"Mom, why are you here?" Fran asked her. "Why meet with me?"

"I wanted to apologise for everything I've done, I know I've treated you horribly." She replied. "I also needed to ask you for a little help."

"You want my help?" Fran asked a little incredulously, looking at her mother with shock.

"Fran, I'm starting over, I need all the help I can get." She continued. She pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to Fran. She read it a little confused.

"When you were born, your father set up a trust fund in your name that would mature when you turned 21." She told her. "He never changed his will, so the money's still there. I was hoping you'd sign it over to me."

Fran rolled her eyes and handed back the paper unsigned. She should have seen something like this coming.

"Fran, please, I'm making a new start, I've gotten clean..."

"You're not clean mom, I know it! I can smell the gin from here!" She barked. "Mom, I can't believe after all this you're still expecting me to do this for you. I'm going."

"You're 17, you're a minor." She called out. "You need parental consent to marry that man of yours. Do this and I'll sign your marriage licence."

"I'm 19!" Fran yelled in response. "I was 17 when you left. Legally I'm an adult and can do what I damn well please! Goodbye mom!"

Fran turned to leave, but her mother lost her temper, grabbing her arm and spinning her around before slapping her hard across the face.

"It's your fault al this happened you ungrateful little bitch!" She snarled. She stopped as Fran looked at her, not with fear, but loathing. "Fran, I'm sorry, I..."

"That's the last time you'll ever hurt me mom." Fran stated. "You did all this to yourself! You always blamed everyone else, blamed me for everything that went wrong, but you know what? I stopped blaming myself years ago. I suggest you stop blaming everyone else and start working to help yourself."

Her mother swung another slap, but this time Fran blocked it, grabbing her wrist, before shoving her mother to her butt on the ground.

"We're finished her mom. I hope you get the help you really need." Fran told her. "Until then, don't come back. I don't need you anymore."

"Fran please!" Her mother wailed from the ground, her tears beginning to fall. "I'll get help I swear, but I need this. Help me please!"

"I am helping you mom." She whispered, not turning back to her. "Sometimes the only way to help someone is to walk away."

With that, Fran left, leaving her mother on the street. Theo left his hiding place and made his way back to JKP.

Back at the restaurant, Fran arrived, putting her jacket on a coat hook and returning to the living room. She sat down on the couch beside Theo, who had beaten her back with a short cut.

"What's next?" She asked as she saw the final credits for the film rolling. Theo put his arm around her, holding her tightly.

"Some family film." He mused. Fran smiled at him as she felt the warmth of his touch.

"That sounds perfect." She replied. "Thanks Theo."

He looked at her a little puzzled. "For what?"

"Not getting involved." She whispered in his ear. "I know you better than you think."

"Busted huh." He replied. Fran nodded. "Well I think you handled it well."

"Thanks Theo." She repeated, pulling him into a long, passionate kiss as the next movie started. They couldn't care less what sappy family film was on now. No celluloid fantasy could compare to what they had with each other.


	16. A Lion Hunt

Casey had a far from restful sleep. He tossed and turned all night. He hadn't slept that well since failing his trial, but now was even worse. While he wasn't really awake, he wasn't asleep either. He was floating in a limbo between being conscious and unconscious.

All he could think about was that day in the woods with Jarrod and Camille. He could remember seeing the light in her eyes slowly fading, knowing she didn't have long left before it disappeared completely. As much as it hurt him to do so, knowing Dai Shi would take back control eventually and place her once again in his clutches, he had to. He had to let her go. Keeping her would only have ensured her death, and he knew he'd never live with himself if that happened.

He pulled himself from his bed and made his way downstairs to the kitchen of the restaurant, pulling some ice-cream out of the freezer.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Dom asked him, causing him to jump. He was reading under a small torch, far away from the bedrooms so that he wouldn't disturb the others. Casey came to him.

"I can't stop thinking about that day with Jarrod." He breathed gently, sitting down with him. He and Dom weren't really that close, but that was one of the things that made him easier to talk to about this. "I get the feeling there's something I should be doing."

"So why don't you?" Dom asked him. Casey smiled and gave a small, gentle laugh.

"There's more of your dad in you than you think." He replied, in reference to the cryptic nature of his response. "The others want to hold back. They want to take things slowly..."

"Casey, do you know why you failed your trial?" Dom interrupted him. Casey looked to the floor stunned by the question. Dom never took anything seriously, why was he talking to him about this? He thought long and hard about it.

"I dealt with Whiger and Swoop quickly enough." He began. "I lost almost all my time on the trial with..."

"That's what I'm saying." Dom told him sagely, nodding his head slowly. "You defeated yourself with your heart. If you had just fought her..."

"How could I?" Casey snapped in reply. "I love her, she means everything to me!"

"So you should be willing to do what you need to. She needs you now more than ever." Dom continued. "RJ's forgotten about the prophesy, but I continued translating it. I know what it means."

"You do?" Casey asked. "What does it mean?"

"It means that Camille had to have SOME way of getting back to Ocean Bluff." He replied. "If we're lucky..."

"The portal's still open." Casey gasped. "What about...?"

"This is a personal thing." He responded. "Something tells me this is OUR fight."

Casey nodded in understanding. Both of them had a far greater personal investment in this stage of the war than the others. Both of them were willing to risk it all for their respective quests.

"Fran leant me 'to kill a mocking bird' the other day." He told Casey. "One guy stood up for what he believed in, even though the entire town was against him." He came up to Casey and placed a hand on his shoulder. "The only reason I haven't marched into the fortress to bring my brother home is because I knew I could never ask any of you to come with me."

"You don't have to ask." Casey stated, his jaw clenching. "Camille's coming home and so is Jarrod."

"You understand that we may not come back." Dominic reminded him. "I'll understand..."

"There's no need to understand." Casey interrupted him. "Let's go."

Back in the fortress, Dai Shi was sitting on his throne, contemplating recent events. He knew that Jarrod was coming ever closer to breaking free. Of course he no longer needed the human. The other Phantoms hadn't noticed, but he'd been there, draining the rinzin of all the Phantom Beasts that had fallen, supplementing his own. Soon the Beast War would be at an end and the virus, the plague of humanity would no longer scourge the earth, and he could abandon this pathetic human shell to the ether.

Camille sat by his throne obediently, again not restrained since he knew there was no need. She wouldn't ever escape him because of his power. For some reason she seemed more hopeful than she had been, but he knew it would not be long before...

His gaze lifted as he saw the doors being thrown open. Rinshi flew around, broken and defeated as they marched into his throne room. Dominic and Casey strode in confidently, dashing aside all opposition.

"Leave us!" Dai Shi snapped as Scorch and Snapper emerged from the shadows. "I take it this isn't a social visit."

"We challenge you!" Dominic roared, throwing off his tunic and preparing a guard. "You and me Jarrod!"

"You said 'we' brother." Dai Shi reminded him.

"Camille, if you really want to come home, now's the time." Casey stated, preparing his own guard. "You can destroy the phoenix once and for all."

"Casey I can't!" She shrieked. "She's too strong..."

"You're stronger." He barked in response. "Give the order Dai Shi."

"Power up!" He said with a smirk, causing her to become imprisoned in her phoenix armour once more. "If you're both so eager to die..."

"Enough talk." Dominic snarled, calling forth the Rhino Morpher. "Come on baby brother, give me everything you have!"

"You will suffer for the insult of thinking me human!" Dai Shi snarled. "Everyone, leave us! This shall be fun!"

Back in JKP, they all noticed the absence of Casey and Dom. They knew they weren't expecting a huge crowd, but neither of them were the type to just walk off without a word. They knew there had to be something going on.

"Guys, I think we might want to stay closed for another day." Fran told them, gesturing upstairs. They all rushed up to the apartment to the surveillance system.

"This was shot by a satellite a while ago." She told them, showing them footage of Dom and Casey walking into Dai Shi's fortress. "What do you think?"

"I think they've chosen their path." RJ said softly, putting his arm around Lily.

"But they could be destroyed!" Theo snapped. "We have to..."

"Let destiny unfold as it was meant to." He said soothingly. "They're accomplished warriors, and they're smart. They'll come back."

Lily felt a little uneasy, and could see that Theo and Fran were not convinced at all. Letting them go off alone was not in the plan. What good could come of it? She looked up to her fiancé's face, seeing him look down and wink at her. She had a feeling he knew something he wasn't letting on, and felt a little better. Perhaps there was a reason things were going as they were.

Back in the fortress, both Camille and Dai Shi were borne to the ground by the relentless assault of their impassioned opponents.

"You can beat this brother!" Dominic snarled as he rounded on him, powering up the Rhino Blade. "I could end it, but I don't want to. Come on Jarrod, fight!"

"Fight for what?" He wept. Casey was holding Camille to the floor in an arm bar as this went on, beholding the scene in interest. "No one's ever given a damn about me! Mom and dad..."

"They were wrong Jarrod!" Dominic snapped. He de-morphed, turning his back on his blood. He closed his eyes and awaited destiny. "If you believe there is no goodness in your heart, if you believe there is no way back, then kill me. I'll do nothing to stop you."

"Dom!" Casey roared, struggling against the Phoenix Warrior. "You..."

"Like I said, if this is what destiny has planned, then so be it." He replied. "Go on Jarrod."

"Do not call me that!" Dai Shi snarled, smashing a fist through a pillar. "That human is of no..."

"Then kill me." Dom taunted him. "I'll not stop you."

The Griffon armoured warrior approached him, preparing to strike, only to find his hand halted. He was thrown across the room as a massive explosion tore the room asunder. Dominic was the first to recover, pulling himself to his feet to see an unconscious, naked Jarrod curled in a phoetal position on the floor, shivering uncontrollably. Casey was next to his feet, seeing Dom and Dai Shi rising to their feet.

"You have cost me much Rhino Ranger!" He sneered. "But you will be the one they will all blame for accelerating the Beast War!"

"Then finish me!" He snarled, powering up into Ranger Mode. "Come on!"

Jarrod snapped into consciousness, roaring loudly and launching himself at Camille. He slammed both hands into her chest, sending her flying, and knocking Flit from inside her but holding something in his hands. It was the writhing, ethereal, protesting phoenix spirit. He threw his arms wide, tearing it asunder. They watched as he slumped back into his comatose, and the energy rushed to Dai Shi, though flowing through Flit as it went. He began to shift and change form, recovering his human body once more.

"I have been collecting power with every warrior you have destroyed!" He snapped. "You will all rue the day you confronted me!"

"We have what we want!" Dominic stated, throwing Jarrod's unconscious body over his shoulders. "Flit, can you run?"

"We'll find out." He replied, stumbling to his feet, using his true human legs for the first time in centuries.

Dominic and Casey both unleashed their animal spirits, thrashing the throne room and burying Dai Shi's Griffon armoured form beneath the rubble, delaying him while they made their escape.

Dom and Casey arrived back at JKP with the broken forms of their loved ones as the others rushed to greet them. RJ already had his first-aid kit at the ready.

"You guys are in SO much trouble!" Lily chastised them, slapping their upper arms as they arrived. "You ran off by yourselves..."

"And in doing so proved their conviction." Master Finn announced as he arrived in the room with Phant and Swoop. "Casey, give me your arm."

Casey looked around a little puzzled, but did as he was asked.

"Do you swear to...well...you've hear the oath."

Casey looked a little dumbfounded.

"But I..."

"There is more than one way to become a master." Finn stated. "You failed because you could not focus your heart. Now you can."

"You mean..."

"Yes Casey." Finn replied, powering his hand up into a claw. He slashed his forearm painfully, causing him to squeal in pain before it formed into his stripes. "You are now fit to be called a master. From now on, you will carry the title of honour of Master Claw."

Casey smiled as he saw his stripes. He had wondered why he had failed, but now he knew. Now he knew he was ready for the war ahead.

"Guys, Scorch and Snapper just appeared in the city!" Fran informed them, looking at the monitors. "You might want to do something."

"But I can't." Dom whispered. "Jarrod..."

"I'll look after them." Fran told them, gesturing to both Camille and Jarrod. "You go, the world needs you."

"I'll help you." Flit chipped in. "It's not much, but until I'm used to being human again, I won't be much help in battle."

"Thanks Flit." RJ said as they turned to leave. "Glad to have you aboard."

As they left, Jarrod awoke, seeing Fran before him. She approached slowly.

"Jarrod, I won't hurt you..."

She couldn't convince him though. He fled to the darkest corner of the room and cowered beneath his arms. All he could think about as he looked at her was seeing her with her arms shackled above her head as Camille beat her at his order.

"Jarrod let me help you." She implored him. He looked at her through his arms, still expecting some form of attack. He knew he deserved it. He could see Fran on her knees, broken and weeping as he forced her to watch the enchanted mirror, forcing her to re-live every painful moment of her childhood. He began clawing at his unworthy face, raising bright red scratches and pulling at his hair.

"Stop it, I won't hurt you!" She reassured him, pulling him into a tight hug, as much to restrain him and stop him hurting himself as to comfort him.

Jarrod though never replied as she held him tightly. He just continued to rock and whimper pathetically. He was not in any condition to speak. All he knew was how much pain and suffering he'd caused while under Dai Shi's control. Fran led him to the couch and laid him down, putting a blanket over him, before leaving the room. She got the feeling that her being there was doing more harm than good.

Meanwhile in Ocean Bluff, the others were busy with Scorch and Snapper, tackling them head-on as they tore apart the city at Dai Shi's order.

"Guys, we can't destroy them both at once." Casey stated, powering up his Claw Booster and smashing Scorch aside. "Take care of Snapper first, I'll keep Scorch busy."

Lily and Theo rushed forward, raking their Claws across Snapper's armour, before grabbing him and holding him tightly.

"Do it RJ!" Lily snarled. RJ powered up the Wolf Morpher, connecting with a hard uppercut that sent him flying high into the air.

"His power's failing." He snapped. "Finish him Dom!"

Dominic powered up his Rhino Blade, preparing to finish the master of the Snapping Turtle Spirit. He launched himself into the air, passing Snapper on his way up.

"Super Blade!" He called out, launching into a powerful attack, destroying him utterly.

"One down, one left!" Lily announced as Casey flew to the ground near them. He got up, preparing to get back into the fight.

"Come on guys, let's toast this dragon!" He snarled. Scorch looked around, realising his predicament. He was already weakened, and he was unlikely to take all of them by himself.

"Another day Rangers!" He called back, disappearing from view.

"He'll be back." RJ sighed. "I'm sure Dai Shi's got something in mind."

Back at the apartment, the Rangers regrouped as they considered the event of the day. They were sure that things had progressed, and now more than ever it felt as though the end was in sight.

"We've separated him from Jarrod, and now he only has one general left." Dominic reminded them. "He must be getting pretty desperate by now."

"He said he's collected power from every monster we've destroyed. That's how he got a physical body after we separated him from Jarrod." Casey recalled. "I think he always intended to sacrifice the Phantom Beasts."

"His objective has always been to regenerate his true dragon form." RJ stated. "He now has more than enough power to do so."

"So why is he waiting?" Lily asked. "What could he be waiting for?"

"I think he's gathering fear to augment his power." RJ replied. "If my suspicions are correct, he plans on opening a portal to the spirit realm."

"If he does that, then we'll have to face every monster we've ever defeated, all over again." Theo grumbled. "What can we do?"

"The masters are on standby, but even still, I think we need to prepare for the fight of our lives." He responded. "I think we can safely say the Beast War's entering the final stages."

They all sat quietly at this thought. They knew that he was right. Now all they could do was wait until Dai Shi made his move.

"I should check on Camille." Casey stated, making his way through to his room. "She's been through a lot."

They could all understand his thoughts. Camille had been in Dai Shi's clutches now for a couple of weeks, and he had finally had her returned to him. She was no longer under the command of Dai Shi, or imprisoned by the power of the Phoenix Spirit. RJ smiled as he saw the significant lift in Casey's spirits. It had been too long since he had been so hopeful.

"I think Casey has the right idea." He commented, looking into Lily's eyes. "Right now, I think it's best to concentrate on those we care about."

"I agree." Dominic replied. "I'm going to check on my brother."

"I have to warn you, he's pretty messed up." Fran told him. "When I was trying to deal with him earlier, he seemed to be hurting."

"How so?" He asked.

"It seemed like he was in pain when he looked at me, it was like he was thinking about something." She paused for a second. "He pulled away from me when I tried to help him. It was as if he thought I was going to hurt him."

Dominic stopped and nodded in understanding. He should have seen this coming; it was bound to have an effect on his mind being under Dai Shi's control for so long. He had been a slave to his will now for close to a year. He was bound to be confused and disorientated. Going to the couch, he gently shook him awake.

"Jarrod, are you alright?" He asked. Jarrod slowly came to focus, before a pained expression crossed his face, looking at his brother.

Memories rushed back to him as he looked at him. He could see him on the ground, completely overcome by the power of the Rhino Spirit. He remembered wrenching the control dagger from his grasp.

"I don't think I'll bother destroying you. Perhaps I'll allow you to live with your failure." He taunted him.

Jarrod had found out the truth about Dominic and Master Mao back at Pai Zhuq a few years ago. He had used this knowledge, the knowledge of Dominic's relationship with Master Mao to take the heart from him during their battle. Every word was chosen for maximum hurt.

He threw himself off the couch, stumbling around the apartment. He walked into RJ.

"Jarrod, it's alright, you're safe here." RJ said soothingly. Jarrod though couldn't see his compassion. All he could remember was beating him savagely in a display of power to Carnisoar and Jellica. He could remember plunging his hand into RJ's chest as he tried to rip the wolf spirit from him, feeling its pain as in its struggle to remain with its rightful bearer, it injured itself. Lily placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to spin sharply a look of horror on his face.

"Jarrod, we're all friends here, let us help you!" She begged him. He staggered backwards, tripping over his feet in his hurry to escape her.

Lily caused him far more pain than the others. He had tortured her terribly across the past year. He had fallen for her back at the temple, and yet Dai Shi's poison had perverted that love, twisting it into a cruel and vicious obsession. He had taken several opportunities to hurt her based on his twisted obsession. He had beaten her viciously while she was blind, forced her to kiss him while she was vulnerable to tear her heart from her.

He could still see her awesome beauty as he was confronted by her in her wedding dress back at the fortress. Back at Pai Zhuq, he had fantasised about seeing her as his bride on their special day many times, and Dai Shi had managed to steal that from him as well. All he could see in her eyes as he expressed his wish to make her his wife was contempt. He was sure she would never forgive him for his treatment of her. Having heard the commotion, Casey came out of his room.

"What's going on?" He asked, seeing Jarrod curling up protectively on the floor, completely battered emotionally by the sight of his victims surrounding him. "What's up with Jarrod?"

Dominic suddenly got a horrible thought as he saw Casey there. He figured out what was wrong, why Jarrod was panicking. Jarrod's breathing became rapid and his face turned red, he looked close to passing out as he hyperventilated.

"Casey, don't let Camille..." He was too late though, Camille had come into the room.

Jarrod seemed to stop breathing as he saw her. He had hurt Camille more than any of the others, and she was the source of his greatest pain. He walked towards her, tears beginning to roll down his face as he approached. Camille looked nervously to Casey as he approached. He fell to his knees before her, wrapping his arms around his waist and buried his face in her abdomen, weeping hysterically.

The feeling in the apartment became a lot more awkward as she held him tightly, and Dominic came to his brother's side. Now they understood. He felt responsible for everything he had done to them under Dai Shi's power, and he hadn't forgiven himself for it.

Of course they also understood his pain. He and Camille had created a life together, a life that had been lost. Camille still cried at times as she remembered the miscarriage, but she hadn't been possessed. In all the months since the loss of his child, Jarrod hadn't even been able to weep for the child he'd never hold. While Camille had had an opportunity to mourn, Jarrod never had, the pain of losing his child had eaten at his heart for all those months.

Jarrod wept himself into exhaustion, the pain finally overtaking him and he slid into unconsciousness. Dominic lifted him as his unconscious body as he fainted, feeling a great swell of pity for him as he carried him back to the couch. He could only imagine what he had been through.

Meanwhile back at the fortress, Dai Shi had finally dug himself out of the wreckage that was his throne room, just as Scorch arrived.

"Dai Shi, we must gather more fear!" He snarled in his frustration at his defeat. "Let me go into the city, I will personally gather all the fear we need."

"I agree that I need fear to bolster my power Scorch, but there is one mistake you're making." He responded. Scorch suddenly felt something he hadn't done for thousands of years, fear.

"Do you think it is a coincidence that you are the last of the Phantom Beasts to be destroyed?" He asked him. "I have always planned for this to happen. I have harvested the rinzin from all the spirits of the fallen Phantoms."

He approached Scorch menacingly, powering up his claws. "Now I can finally regain my true form."

"Your spirit is the dragon." Scorch gasped as he realised what was happening. "Just like mine!"

"And your sacrifice will bring an end to the plague of humanity!" He snarled, driving his claws into Scorch's chest, absorbing his power. Scorch screamed as he disappeared from the physical realm.

"Let the end of the Beast War begin." He growled as he felt the power coursing through him.


	17. Prepare for War

Following his collapse, Dominic had taken Jarrod to his room. RJ came in with a pot of herbal tea to find Dominic tending to him. He was slightly surprised to see how devoted he was, considering the fact he and Jarrod had been at each other's throats at the temple, and that he'd only found out he was his brother a couple of months ago, but he took his responsibility so seriously.

He had dressed Jarrod in a spare set of his pyjamas and put him under the covers to keep warm as he rested. His breakdown in the apartment had been incredibly worrying, it was terrible to think of him being in so much pain, but there was little they could do about it. Much of his pain was the guilt he had felt at everything he had done to them across the past year. RJ sat on the bed beside Dom and placed the tray on the bedside table, smiling as he gestured to the teddy bear beside Jarrod.

"You still have Billy huh?" He asked him. Dominic sniggered slightly. It was one of the few things he had from home he had any real fondness for. He'd had that oft-repaired, worn old bear since before he'd gone to Pai Zhuq. It was one of the few things he had taken from home to the temple.

"He always made me feel better." He remarked. "I remember when I first went to the temple I was terrified Master Mao would take him away from me because he'd think I was a baby."

"He didn't though." RJ reminded him. "How long have you had him?"

"To be honest, I really don't know." Dominic replied. "I can't really remember a time I didn't have him. Most of my earliest memories involve him somehow. My foster parents never told me when they gave him to me."

RJ detected a note of sadness in his voice as he mentioned this. It had taken a while, but since he'd found out the truth, he'd eventually come to refer to Master Mao as "dad", but he had turned on his foster parents a lot quicker. When he'd found out, he'd had a long and heated discussion with them.

He knew both Dom and Jarrod hadn't really been cared for that much by their foster families, and that things were always a little distant for them, but finding out about this had explained a lot. Dominic had stopped referring to them as "mom and dad" almost as soon as he'd found out. He no longer considered them his family, and his hurt over their neglect had turned to anger. He couldn't remember Dominic speaking to them since the night of that phone call.

RJ put his arm around Dom, stroking his shoulders.

"How are you coping?" He asked him.

"Not great, but I'll live." Dom replied in a sad sigh. "What's in the pot?"

"Just a little concoction of mine that should help him relax." He answered. "I think its best that Jarrod doesn't get too stressed out for the time being."

"I could probably go for some of that." Dominic stated. "I wish there was more I could do for him."

"I know you feel responsible for his welfare, but there isn't much more you can do." RJ reminded him. "I have an idea. Flit tells me he also used to be a skilled healer back in the day."

"Are you sure about this?" He asked him, a little unconvinced. "I caught him earlier sticking his feet in a pizza."

"He has spent the last few centuries as a fly." RJ reminded him. "He's just taking a while to get used to being human again."

"Well he's kind of jerky, and I saw him bumping into stuff earlier..."

"He's getting used to only having binocular vision again." RJ assured him. "He's already getting the hang of walking everywhere instead of flying, and I'm pretty sure he's figured out his taste buds aren't in his feet anymore after that incident with the pizza."

Dominic looked back over Jarrod, gently stroking his back. At the moment, he was unconscious, the trauma of his flashbacks having completely overcome him. RJ could see his friend's thoughts easily as he observed his family.

"I know you want to help, but at the moment we need Jarrod to settle down. We're doing more harm than good by reminding him of what he's done to us." RJ explained. "He doesn't recognise Flit. He won't cause the same problems."

"I suppose that makes sense." Dominic replied. "Hey, I suppose I'll be needed in the field anyway."

"I think that's best." He agreed. Flit came into the room, wearing large, dark glasses. What RJ had said was true, he was still getting used to having only two eyes as opposed to the multi-lensed eyes he'd had before, but the glasses helped him a little. While he was fine walking, his movements were still noticeably jerky and erratic. His new body was providing some interesting challenges for him; his musculature was taking a lot of getting used to.

"Don't worry Dominic; I'll take care of him." He assured him. "I owe you for making me human again. Even Camille didn't know how to do that."

"Thanks Flit." Dominic replied, leaving the room. RJ had decided that at the moment, the best thing they could all do was assemble and be ready for battle. They knew it couldn't be much longer until Dai Shi wanted to make his final move. The Masters had come at his request, assembling for what they knew could easily be the last battle of a war that had been thousands of years in the making. The mood in the room was a little subdued as they had expected. Camille came into the room, taking her place next to Casey, while Fran was about to leave.

"Fran, we'd like you to stay." RJ told her. "This involves all of us."

Fran had never doubted being involved in the battle, she had every intention of being there by Theo's side when everything went down, but she wasn't sure why they wanted her to be involved in the Pai Zhuq stuff.

"Fran, Camille, I'd like you both to step forward." RJ implored them. They both did so, taking their place in the centre of the room.

"Camille, before all of this, you were a Pai Zhuq." RJ reminded her. "Fran, you've been training informally under Theo now for months. This can't continue."

Fran and Camille both looked a little confused as he said this. Swoop handed him a case which he opened.

"Fran, we'd like to officially indoctrinate you into Pai Zhuq." He told her, presenting the case to her. Fran was left breathless and her smile split her face as she beheld the case. He presented her with a training jerkin, much like that of the Rangers, though it was Orange as befitted her designation. Next to it was a green one for Camille. "We were going to invite you once we'd dealt with Dai Shi, but recent events have led us to believe that you should get this now. If you'll stand with us, then you should look the part."

Fran looked to Theo, who nodded with a look of pride on his face. He had taught her well, but she was progressing to the point there wasn't much more he could teach her without her becoming a part of Pai Zhuq. Fran and Camille each reached forward, accepting their jackets, pulling them on.

"Welcome to the Order of the Claw." He greeted them. The others grouped around them, hugging them and welcoming them warmly into their ranks. Fran especially couldn't contain her joy. She's spent a long time not understanding them and admiring them from a distance, but her training under Theo and her instruction in the use of her fox spirit had brought her closer to them and made her understand herself a lot more than she thought possible. Even becoming a Ranger had been done behind her friend's backs out of necessity. Now though, she truly was one of them.

"So now we have our numbers assembled, what's next?" Finn asked him. "I mean, there are now 10 of us. Is there anything we're missing?"

"I have some friends I could call." RJ replied. "But it would take them all a while to get here; we may not have time to wait on them."

"I think then we have to presume that we're on our own." Swoop replied. "If we can get help, then it's a bonus, but until we see them, then we have to presume that we're not getting that support."

"We really can't ask anyone to fight with us anyway." Phant stated. "It's our battle, we can't ask anyone to take that risk."

"Trust me; Tommy would be offended if I didn't call." RJ replied.

"I think we should all stay here for the time being." Dominic interjected. "We don't want to risk anyone being cut off."

"I have plenty of floor space." RJ confirmed. "You're all welcome to be here."

"Then it's settled." Finn concluded. "Until Dai Shi makes his move, we all stay here."

"Well if that's everything for the time being?" Phant asked. "I think we should all prepare in our own way."

"What do you mean 'prepare' Master Phant?" Fran asked, shifting a little uneasily. "You mean training?"

"Something tells me there won't be much time for training." Casey replied. "Guys, we need to stay positive, but we all know what could happen here."

He turned to look at Camille, smiling as he saw her wearing his engagement ring once more. "Treat these days as if they're your last."

He made his way to Camille's side, taking her hand and led her to his room. None of them could blame him; they all understood his feelings on the matter. Right now, they all needed to take the time to affirm what was important to themselves, knowing that when things looked desperate, that might be all that kept them going.

"Master Phant, can I see you for a moment?" Lily asked him. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

Finn left the room with RJ as he went to make a phone call. Dominic smiled to see them together like that. He had been there when they'd fallen out all those years ago, and had seen how much it hurt each of them to go their separate ways, but he was happy for RJ that they'd managed to mend the bridges between them. It gave him renewed hope for his own situation with Jarrod.

"I'm going to help Flit with Jarrod." He announced, leaving the room. Swoop smiled as he realised this left him alone in the room with Theo and Fran.

"I'll just leave you two alone." He stated. "Something tells me you'd appreciate that."

"We would thanks." Theo responded, smiling. Since training with Swoop, he had become a close friend and confidante to Theo. He always seemed to know what to say to help, and the two understood each other well. He knew that Swoop had given them privacy for a reason.

"The tunic looks good on you." He told her sincerely. "You've come a long way."

"It's all because of you guys." She told him. "I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for you."

"Well you'll never have to find out." He replied, taking her hand in his, and pulling her in closely. "I promise."

In the kitchen, RJ hung up the phone as Finn arrived.

"Did you get through?" He asked.

"The line was busy." RJ replied. "I'll try again later."

Finn went to the fridge and grabbed some dough, slamming it down on the chopping board, before grabbing a rolling pin.

"I remember you teaching me to roll dough." He chuckled. "I never would have believed it till I tried it, but it really is therapeutic."

"I always enjoy it as a way to calm myself down. I always loved cooking." He responded. "I guess I got that from mom."

"Your mom always was the chef in the family." He replied. "She'd be so proud of what you've accomplished with the restaurant."

"I guess whenever I cooked I always felt close to her." RJ continued. "One of my first memories was baking cookies with mom."

"I remember that day." Finn said with a smile. "She really was beautiful."

"Sometimes I wish she was still here." RJ replied. "I'd have loved her to meet Lily."

"She did." Finn reminded him. "I just don't know if Lily made the connection."

"RJ smiled as he realised this. They weren't together then, but Lily had been to the spirit world to train with Theo and Casey when Dai Shi had kidnapped him. It amused him to think that she had met his mother on that journey.

"She must have seen something in her." Finn stated. "Your mother didn't train just anyone."

"She trained you didn't she?" He laughed. Finn just shoved him away a little.

"My father covered the Shark Technique, but your mother taught me a lot too." He responded. "She must have seen something special in Lily to take her on as a student. I think she'd like her."

"I think she would too." RJ responded. With that, they hugged, taking a little time to enjoy the closer relationship they'd enjoyed since they'd come back into each other's lives. They were interrupted as Phant arrived in the room.

"RJ, could you join me in the restaurant?" He asked him. "Finn, you come too."

They both looked at each other a little puzzled, but made their way into the main restaurant. RJ stopped, struck completely breathless by what he saw.

Candles were arranged around the room, giving it a warm, ethereal glow. Lily stood before him, wearing a veil over her face. His heart raced as she came to his side.

"RJ, we don't know what's going to happen." Lily said softly. "I know it won't be official or anything..."

"Lily, are you sure about this?" He asked her, looking into her eyes. "I thought we were going to wait."

"RJ, we don't know what might happen. I don't want to think about it, all I want is to hear the words." She told him. "We haven't signed the marriage licence, it won't be official or anything, we can do it properly when we get through this, but if we are going to face the end, then I want to do it with you."

RJ leaned down, kissing her passionately. He loved her more than anything in his life, and longed for the day they could make it official. Finn and Phant smiled at the display. Phant cleared his throat to remind them he was there.

"Sorry." RJ responded.

"I want you to link hands and look at each other." He instructed them. RJ took Lily's right hand gently and looked deeply into her eyes. "Lily, you go first."

"RJ, ever since I've known you, all I've ever wanted is to be with you." She began. "I never believed I could be as strong or feel as loved as I do with you. All I want is to spend the rest of my life with you. I pledge my heart, my spirit and my soul to you forever."

RJ lifted his left hand to her face, sweeping away an errant tear of happiness from her cheek as he prepared for his part. He struggled to fight his own tears as he did so.

"Lily, ever since I've known you, I've always wanted to be by your side." He told her. "I have never met anyone I'd rather spend my life with, and I look forward to spending every day from this one onward doing everything in my power to give you all that I have. I pledge my heart, my spirit and my soul to you forever."

Master Phant pulled a deep red ribbon from his robes, gently tying their wrists together as they held each other.

"May this binding represent the bond between you that will never be broken." Phant declared. "You may now kiss the bride."

RJ and Lily pulled into their most important and passionate kiss as Phant and Finn watched on and smiled. RJ pulled away from her, beholding her in all her glory before him.

"I love you Mrs. James." He announced. Lily felt her tears beginning as she heard herself being referred to by her married name for the first time.

"I love you too Mr. James." She replied. Phant placed a hand on Finn's shoulder and nodded in the direction of the door.

"We can congratulate them when they do it properly." He whispered to his old friend. "Let's leave them to it."

"Congratulations son." Finn whispered as he left, leaving them to their moment.

Meanwhile, in Casey's bedroom, he was lying asleep on the bed. He'd loved getting the chance to be with her again after so long. Camille made her way into the en suite to freshen up.

She couldn't help smiling as she thought about him. Those weeks when she had been forcefully separated from him had been torture. He always treated her so well. She couldn't believe her luck at being returned to him.

Of course that wasn't the only reason she had to smile. The alarm on her digital watch bleeped indicating that it was now time. She looked at the pregnancy test and smiled as it confirmed what she already knew. Her animal spirit had informed her of the other presence within her shortly after she was released by the phoenix spirit.

She made her way back to the door of the en suite and just watched Casey sleeping. She would tell him soon, but she knew that it would just distract him to know, and that he wouldn't let her fight, but they needed all the help they could get and she knew she was only a few weeks pregnant, so she was still capable.

"Congratulations Casey." She whispered to herself. "You're going to be a father."


	18. The Prophesy Revealed

The Rangers were all ripped from their respective actions as the alarm system sounded, bringing all of them back to the main room of the apartment. None of them spoke as they assembled by the monitors, quietly observing what they knew to be the beginning of the end.

"Well, I think it's safe to say that Dai Shi's through waiting." Casey sighed. "There's rinshi everywhere."

"There must be thousands of them." Theo interjected. "It looks like he's sent everything he has left."

"He's collecting fear." RJ concluded. "We need to deal with this before it's too late."

"Did you make that phone call?" Casey asked him. As RJ shook his head, but as he did so, he couldn't help but look over to Lily. They had cut the ribbon to separate themselves when they'd heard the alarm. Seeing her clutching the ribbon wrapped loosely around her fist, he clutched his own end of it for comfort. In their hearts they were now man and wife, and nothing could take that from them, regardless of what happened tonight. Lily would always be with him, and seeing the way she clung to the ribbon, he knew he would always be with her.

"I couldn't get through." He replied. "It looks like we're handling this one on our own."

"Well that means we need to attack from multiple fronts." Casey responded. "RJ, you Lily and Master Finn take the harbour." They all nodded in understanding as they prepared to go.

"Theo, you Fran and Swoop take the industrial district." He instructed them. Again they nodded in understanding. Swoop smiled as he smelled the mixture of Theo's aftershave and Fran's perfume. He could only really tell which was which was now by the depth of their breathing giving him an indication of their size. Sometimes he regretted the fact that he'd never really taken the time out from his own studies to find the right woman, but then he couldn't help being happy for them. They deserved to be happy, and he knew how good an influence Fran had been on him. He had every confidence that they would make it through.

"Dom, Master Phant and Camille will come with me to the theatre district." He concluded. "Everyone start making your way to the centre of the city."

"There are more of them than we've ever faced." RJ reminded them. "But remember, we are more powerful than they are. Every time we take one down, we're one step closer to defeating him for good."

"Well I sure wish things looked a little brighter." Casey stated. "But just remember that we all have something to fight for. We all have something to make it through this for." Camille heard his impassioned speech, cradling her abdomen. She was glad to be fighting by his side, and she knew he was right. She had a reason to make it through this, and she couldn't wait until she had the chance to tell him. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he realised he was going to be a father.

"Are we all ready?" RJ asked. They all wordlessly lined up, ready to go.

"Jungle Beast, SPIRIT UNLEASHED!"

In Dominic's room, Flit watched over Jarrod as he came to. Jarrod looked around the room wordlessly, completely confused as to his surroundings. He couldn't remember how he had gotten there or where he was. He had passed out from the relentless assault of memories of all the cruelty and pain he had caused the others. Flit leaned over to speak with him as Jarrod sat up.

"You've been out for quite a while." He told him. "How are you feeling?"

"Who are you?" He asked the man before him. "Where am I?"

"You're still in the Ranger's hideout, and I'm a friend." Flit explained. Jarrod didn't recognise him, he'd never met Flit as a human before, so he had no idea who he was, but he had the comforting air of the healers he encountered at the temple. He quickly checked the dressings on Jarrod's wounds.

"You appear to have escaped any serious wounds." Flit told him.

"I...I feel fine." Jarrod stammered out. "Where is everyone?"

"They all have stuff to do." Flit said diplomatically, pouring Jarrod a cup of RJ's herbal tea. "Just rest up, and drink this. It'll help you relax."

Jarrod pulled himself up and accepted the cup from the stranger before him. It had been a long time since he'd been shown such compassion. He eyed him a little suspiciously as he drank it.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Jarrod asked him.

"I'm a healer, I'm meant to help people." Flit replied. Jarrod still wasn't convinced as he poured himself another cup. His nerves were a little eased as the herbal concoction started to take effect, but he was still far from comfortable being here.

"But I've treated everyone so badly. I've caused nothing but trouble." He protested. "How can anyone ever forgive me?"

Flit sighed as he stopped what he was doing and looked to Jarrod. He had been a victim of Dai Shi's cruelty as well, but he like the Rangers knew that it wasn't really Jarrod's fault.

"Dai Shi was in control of your actions." He stated. "You weren't responsible for any of it..."

"But he was attracted to me because of my nature." He said regretfully. "He saw there was no goodness or nobility in me, he told me that himself."

"I doubt that's..."

"I was nothing but a mean-spirited bully." He interrupted Flit. "There's no goodness in my heart."

Flit couldn't help feeling sorry for him, he couldn't imagine what Dai Shi had done to his mind all those months he inhabited Jarrod's body.

"You have shown kindness." Flit told him. "If there was no good in you, you'd never have been able to break free of his grasp."

Jarrod still couldn't help thinking about all the things he had done, but RJ's tea was beginning to take effect. Seeing this, Flit gently pressed him back down into the bed, pulling the covers over him.

"I like to believe time heals everything." Flit said reassuringly. "You'll feel better when the time is right."

Jarrod rolled over and pulled Dominic's teddy bear into himself as he drifted off to sleep. Flit left him to go into the main room and observe the monitors. Whatever was happening to Jarrod in his mind, there wasn't much he could do for him right now.

At Ocean Bluff Harbour, RJ was the first on the scene, scything through rinshi and clearing a path for the terrified dock workers.

"Get indoors and lock yourselves in!" Lily yelled as she arrived, powering up into Jungle Master Mode. "Master Finn, how are you doing?"

"God I'm getting too old for this!" He grumbled, slicing through their ranks with his Shark Sabres. "I am so grateful for these Ranger Powers right now."

"Come on Dad, you can't tell me this isn't a bonding experience." RJ joked, as they drove back the seemingly endless horde.

"Well I guess it is an honour to fight with my family." Finn replied. "I have one tough daughter-in-law."

Lily was thankful that her helmet stopped them seeing her blush as he said this. Now more than ever she knew that they were going to continue, no matter how desperate things looked. They were there for each other and always would be. They were family.

Back at the apartment, Jarrod thrashed around in his bed as dreams came to him. Memories and flash-backs came to him in a blur of images.

He was back at Pai Zhuq, and it had been quite a while since he and Dominic had been separated again by Master Mao. He didn't know why, but there was a part of him that just couldn't find any common ground with him. His bruises still hurt like hell, but he was fine. He still couldn't understand why Master Mao kept trying to force them together. Not only had he constantly told them that they could be friends, but he had forced them to share a dorm together.

He stopped outside the door as he heard a most unusual sound. He heard someone crying. He couldn't think who, he knew everyone in that dorm, and none of them had any reason...

His thoughts tailed off as he opened the door ajar, finding Dominic holding his tattered old teddy bear closely.

He held back as he observed Dom with a feeling he would never have anticipated. He actually felt badly for him. He knew that Dominic had been sent here by his family too, and that he often got upset whenever someone mentioned it. It was one of the things that had sparked their earlier fight. When Dominic questioned him about his reckless actions in hurting him, Jarrod covered his mistake by bringing up his family situation.

In truth Jarrod didn't even know why he did these things. His enthusiasm to defeat Dom had gotten the better of him, leading to his injury, but rather than apologise as he knew he should, he started taunting him further. That was him all over. He couldn't just let his walls down and show his true feelings. He had genuinely felt bad about hurting Dom, but his parent's neglect had left him with little or no ability to show compassion. Growing up alone, he had been taught from an early age that any weakness would be exploited, and that showing weakness, even to the few that did try to be his friends, was usually only an invitation to be betrayed and abandoned, and so he just learned never to give them that opportunity.

As Dominic put away the old bear and wiped away his tears, he looked around to make sure no one had seen him, he left the room. Jarrod satisfied himself that Dominic had left and made his way inside, and crossed over to Dominic's bed. He reached under his pillow, finding a letter there, and began reading.

'Dominic, I'm glad you're still doing well at school and that the teachers are treating you well. I'm sure they wouldn't mind you staying over the summer break.

I'm sorry, but it just isn't a good time. Your father's very busy at work right now, and your grandmother's coming over for a few weeks. She hasn't been well recently and we agree that having a child around is not the best thing for her. I hope you understand.

I hope you have a good summer, and you behave for your teachers.

Sincerely,

Mom.'

He had to re-read it to get over his disbelief. It seemed so crushingly familiar. The letter, if it could be called that, was only a few lines long, and barely said anything. His mom had just written to tell him that they didn't want him home for the summer. He must have received it in the morning mail, no wonder he was so upset when Jarrod taunted him about his parents not wanting him. He had to feel that way already, only for Jarrod to rub his face in it.

Even the ending was cold enough to affect Jarrod. 'Sincerely Mom'. He checked through the letter, only to confirm it. Nowhere in the whole note was there any mention of love. He felt something he never thought he would for Dom, he felt sorry for him. Warm tears leaked down his face as he replaced the letter, seeing what Master Mao had meant. They really weren't so different.

The scene advanced almost a year, and he found himself in the woods near the temple as he went for a run after Master Mao's latest punishment. He stopped in his tracks as he found a younger blonde girl in civilian clothing, carrying her few possessions in a pillow case. He recognised her immediately. Earlier in the day he had scared the hell out of her as he did with most of the new students by sending his lion spirit to scare her. She appeared to be crying, and looking around for familiar surroundings. She was clearly running away.

"I can take you to the path if you like." He stated, announcing his presence. The young girl's gaze snapped to him, as she considered her options. She could remember earlier in the day when she had been brought to the temple, only to be attacked by this jerk.

"No thanks, I'll find it myself." She replied coldly. She began walking away.

"Well if you go that way you're more likely to find the secret to cold fusion than the city." He told her.

"What the hell do you care?" She snapped, sitting on the ground and throwing aside her possessions aggressively, burying her face in her hands. Jarrod came to her side, an uncomfortable feeling building in him. No one comforted him when he was upset, so he really had no idea what to do, but he couldn't help feeling badly for her.

"Look, if this is about earlier, I'm sorry." Jarrod told her. "I guess it was a pretty mean thing to do."

She never answered; she just continued to focus on her predicament. She had been dumped here in this lunatic asylum, and lost everyone that meant anything to her. She wasn't really thinking about what this jerk had done earlier. Jarrod sat next to her.

"I know this place can be scary." He said, somehow hoping he'd get some idea of what he was doing. "Maybe you should give it a chance. If you run away you'll be on the streets..."

"It's not like anyone gives a crap!" She whimpered. "My mom's dead and my dad's half way around the world!"

"Surely you can't mean you'd rather take your chances on the streets than try and get by here." He stated. "I've been here four years now. It's a bit daunting at first, but you'll be safe and Master Mao will look after you."

"Can you just show me back to the path?" She sighed. "I just want to go home, I just want everything back the way it was!"

"But it can't go back that way." Jarrod told her. "Try it out for a while, and if you still want to leave, I promise I'll show you back to the path."

She wiped away some tears, smiling at him and hugged him. Jarrod felt a warm rush coursing through him he never had. He was sixteen, so he had already had crushes, and he knew about the facts of life, but he'd never felt anything like this. He tentatively hugged her back, not knowing what to make of the situation. She pulled away a little.

"I'm Lily." She introduced herself.

"Jarrod." He responded, leading her in the direction of the temple.

"I was told you were a jerk." She told him. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Jarrod couldn't answer. He didn't know he was even capable of such kindness. Normally he never let anything bother him, but something about her had allowed him to find a softness he never knew he had.

Back in Ocean Bluff, the Rangers had chased the remaining rinshi back into the central plaza, smashing them into oblivion with everything they had. Exhaustion was quickly setting in; they had all been fighting now for hours.

"There's only a few of them left guys." Casey called out as they corralled the last few dozen into the centre of the plaza. "All at once!"

A combined attack from all their animal spirits put an end to the last of Dai Shi's foot soldiers. They all chorused a huge sigh of relief as they finished with them.

"Something tells me we're not finished yet." RJ interrupted the moment of relief, pointing to the night sky. A swirling, writhing orange vortex was opening. The Rangers all powered back up for their final stand as they prepared whatever was coming their way.

"Oh crap!" Casey exclaimed as Scorch came through first. "Guys, I think this is the fight of our lives."

They all said wordless prayers as every monster they'd defeated over the past year appeared before them.

"Well, we all know why we're doing this." RJ reminded them. "Let's give them everything we have!"

"It looks like we get a little help this time though." Finn said with a smile as four familiar faces made their way through the vortex, taking their place by the Rangers.

"Master Rilla!" Casey greeted him.

"Master Lope!" Theo yelled as the antelope master came to his side.

"Dad!" Dominic called out as Master Mao arrived on the scene, hugging him warmly.

"I never thought I'd fight by your side again honey." Finn greeted his wife, hugging Master Guinn as she arrived.

"Mom, it's good to see you again." RJ interjected.

"Mom?" Lily said quizzically. "Master Guinn's your mom?"

"Yes I am." She answered, putting a hand on Lily's shoulder. "When Dai Shi opened the vortex to the spirit world, he didn't think about the fact we'd be able to come through as well. We wouldn't miss this for anything."

"Well we'll catch up when we get through this." Casey announced. "Master Mao, want to lead us off?"

"I think you've earned it." He replied.

"Then let's give them everything we have!" He roared, leading the charge as they prepared to face their destiny.

Jarrod woke up in the apartment, finding it eerily quiet. He picked up Dominic's teddy bear and made his way through to the main room. The apartment was dark, and so the only lighting was the pale blue glow from the surveillance system. Wordlessly, he headed over to observe the monitors. He looked on in horror as he watched them battle the seemingly impossible battle. This was his doing, and he felt regret building in him as he watched. He clutched the bear with an insane passion, as though somehow hoping that doing so would erase everything that had happened.

His attention was grabbed as he saw Scorch sending Master Mao and Dominic flying. He remembered the warmth and kindness they'd shown him, and he now felt a new sensation, anger. Looking around, he saw a pair of RJ's jeans hanging over the back of a chair and grabbed them, tossing Billy aside as he left.

Back at the battle ground, the Rangers were making an impressive dent in the forces of the fallen warriors, but they were still a long way from victory. Only the most powerful of Dai Shi's servants remained, and the Rangers were already exhausted from hours of combat. They fell back to regroup as they confronted the remaining warriors.

"So much for the great Pai Zhuq." Scorch sneered. "I guess Dai Shi really was too much for you."

"Well he destroyed you, didn't he?" Casey spat in response, checking on Camille. For some reason, his tiger spirit flared up in him as he watched her struggling to keep going. There was something different about her that he couldn't put his finger on.

"Give it up Rangers!" Snapper interjected. "You don't have the power to defeat all of us!"

With that, a dark energy ball blasted the ranks of the warriors, smashing many of them into oblivion. Jarrod strode confidently into the plaza between the Rangers and the warriors.

"We beat you once, we can beat you again!" He snarled. Scorch fired a plasma blast straight towards him, but Jarrod just swatted it aside dismissively like it was nothing.

"What the hell?" Theo shrieked.

Jarrod's left hand powered up into an energy claw, which he brought down across his right forearm. The wound began to glow and burn, before forming into a Master's mark.

"With the spirit of the Mighty Lion!" He snarled, powering up into his lion warrior armour. "Together, we end the Beast War. For the Pai Zhuq Temple!"


	19. The Chosen One

The battle started as the Rangers prepared themselves to face their most powerful of foes, all over again. They threw themselves into battle with all the strength they had left in them, fighting with the fury that was born of a combination of fear, anger and desperation. Now was the stand that would determine the fate of the world.

Munkeywi was the first to fall, destroyed utterly by Lily's brutal attack. She felt a sense of satisfaction as he was obliterated, gaining a measure of revenge for the way he had brutalised her in their earlier battle, though she also felt a sense of happiness as she remembered this battle. It was the first time RJ had stood in her defence as a Ranger. She still felt her heart swell as she recalled the feeling as she watched him fight with an aggression and passion she'd never seen in him before. It had been at that time she knew he was the one. Renewing her efforts as she tackled Osiris, she knew they needed to make it. Nothing was going to stop them.

Theo destroyed Dynamir, avenging the time he had captured his twin brother Luen in a mirror. As he rounded on each of his opponents, another memory came to him. They were fighting with everything that had made them stronger and more powerful as people over the last year as much as they were fighting opponents. Rounding on Snapper, he remembered the night that he had proposed to Fran. He had taken her from him to be tortured by Dai Shi for her part in freeing the Spirit Rangers. Seeing Fran dispose of her own opponent, they nodded in wordless understanding. It had also been then that he had learned first-hand the depths of her feelings for him by discovering that she had become the Fox Ranger. They both confronted him together.

RJ dealt with the combined might of the Shadow Guards, taking pride in seeing the strength that Lily gave him. He couldn't help checking on her as they fought onwards. She had given him more in the year since he'd met her than he'd ever thought possible. He'd known from the first time he'd seen her enter the pizza parlour that she was special, but he could never have anticipated everything that would happen between them. Earlier in the night he had called her Mrs. James, and his heart soared to see her smile at this. She wanted to take his name, to be his for good, and nothing was going to stop that happening.

Casey rushed to Camille's side, fending off another attack. He still didn't understand why his tiger spirit was so defensive of her on this night, but this time he was sure not to fail her as he had when she had been taken by Dai Shi. As he destroyed Sonimax for the last time, he realised that Lepus was approaching a prone Camille. She had been taken down by an unexpected attack. Without any thought or direction from him, Casey's tiger spirit burst forth, racing towards her.

"You asked me to finish you before Chameleon Ranger!" Lepus snarled, bearing her talons. "Now I will!"

As she prepared to strike, the tiger spirit mauled her savagely, destroying her with a strength that Casey never knew it had. As he raced to her side once more, the tiger paced around Camille, protecting her and allowing no one near until its master arrived, at which it returned to him. Casey felt his chest tighten as he remembered the last time he'd seen an animal spirit act like that. He now understood what had gotten into it. He helped her back to her feet, holding her protectively.

"I think there's something you need to tell me after this, isn't there?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly. Camille cursed herself for weakness as he said this. She hadn't told him about the baby because she didn't want him to be distracted during their battle. She nodded wordlessly in answer to his question. Casey turned back to the battle at hand with a renewed focus and determination. Camille knew he wasn't happy about not being told, but seeing the way he fought now, she knew she had nothing to worry about. If anything, knowing only made him stronger.

Jarrod marched headlong at the three Overlords. They had been the ones who had done him the most harm in all his time as Dai Shi's vessel. He marched towards them, fury burning in him for everything they had done to him in all that time. The first to attack was Carnisoar.

"You were weak and pathetic as Dai Shi!" He sneered, swiping a claw at him. Jarrod blocked the blow, before swiping across him with his own powered up claw, destroying him with dismissive ease.

"It was Dai Shi who weakened me!" He snarled. "That is for destroying my good deeds!"

"How is this possible?" Jellica shrieked. "How can he..?"

Before she could answer, she was incinerated completely by a power blast from the Black Lion Master, once more sent to the spirit world.

"No human will ever be a match for me!" Grizzaka growled, though feeling his desperation and panic rising. He had never seen or felt such power from him in all the time he deposed Dai Shi. Jarrod walked straight through the power of his zukado attack without even flinching.

"Pai Zhuq always taught us never to harness the dark powers of our animal spirits because the power is so seductive no one has ever come back." Jarrod explained, ramming his claws into Grizzaka's chest. The Bear Master screamed in agony as he awaited his destruction. "They only master the powers of the good side of their animal spirits. Because I had no control to stop him, Dai Shi forced me to access those powers and master them!" He roared loudly as he threw his arms wide, tearing Grizzaka apart and destroying him in a huge explosion. "I have mastered the full power of the lion spirit!"

The other Rangers and the masters assembled behind Jarrod as the last remaining warriors stood before them. The Spirit Rangers all powered down, their own energies finally expended. Since their powers were still connected to their life forces, they knew they wouldn't be able to maintain Ranger Form indefinitely.

"It looks like we're finishing this the old-fashioned way." Finn stated as his wife came to his side, taking his hand. He looked to her and smiled. "I missed you, but it seems right we finish this together."

Master Guinn also smiled, pleased at getting the chance to be with him once more. She knew they would be reunited eventually, but until then, this rarest of opportunities to cross back into the physical world was a dream come true. She looked to RJ.

"You've done an amazing job." She commented.

"He did most of it." He sighed. "But he turned out fine. Fortunately he took most of his personality from you."

"He got his passion and his hard head from you." She replied. "I couldn't be prouder of him."

"I guess you were right all along Mao." Master Rilla stated as they all assembled behind Jarrod. "Your son was the one."

"So are you going back to the Spirit World easily?" Jarrod asked them. "Or are we sending you there?"

"Do your worst!" Scorch roared defiantly. The assembled Pai Zhuq, all reached deep inside themselves and called forth their animal spirits, harnessing their power and casting them forth. With a massive explosion that tore up much of the street, Dai Shi's warriors were destroyed for the last time.

A cheer went up as they all powered down and assembled in the street, hugging and embracing each other warmly as they celebrated. Master Guinn came over to Lily, hugging her tightly.

"I never would have guessed." Lily said with a smile. "I promise I'll take care of him."

"I know you will Lily." She responded. "I know you'll make our family proud."

"She already does." RJ said, putting an arm around her. "Thanks mom."

Meanwhile, Casey lifted Camille into his arms, overcome with joy as he was finally able to take the time to let the news sink in. She looked more beautiful to him now than she ever had, and he was sure that they'd be a family together now, Camille, him and the baby.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked excitedly. "When did you find out? How long...?"

She cut off his questions by kissing him passionately, pulling away to look into his eyes.

"I found out after I was released from the Phoenix Spirit." She told him. "It happened before I was captured. The baby's about six weeks along."

Casey just held her tightly, unable to speak as he thought ahead. He was going to be a father, and nothing could make him happier.

Master Mao and Dominic approached Jarrod slowly, beholding him in an unspoken pride.

"You finally realised your potential Jarrod." Master Mao said with a smile, hugging his son tightly. "I'm proud of both of you."

Jarrod released his father a little, looking at the brother he'd never really acknowledged. The two of them had never been close at the temple, but now they had struggled and sacrificed so much to reunite their family. Jarrod extended a hand, which Dominic took, before pulling him into a warm hug. They had never believed him at the temple, but Master Mao was right. They did have common ground, and this did feel right. They were family.

"Guys, look!" Theo beckoned them, gesturing down the street to where Dai Shi had appeared in his true Dragon form, towering over the city. His claws lashed out, smashing buildings with ease as he faced them.

"Guys, it looks like we still have one fight left." Casey said the exhaustion obvious in him. Looking around, Jarrod could see the fatigue in all of them. The Rangers had been fighting now for most of the day. He held a hand up, gesturing them to stop as he strode forward to confront the true form of Dai Shi.

"I gave you life, but I will take it away!" He roared, powering back up into his Black Lion Armour. "I summon the combined might of all the animal spirits!"

The very earth shook, and the Rangers could feel the power erupting within them as one by one, each of their animal spirits surged forward, attacking Dai Shi. Jarrod's body began to glow and shake violently as he bellowed a savage roar.

Dai Shi flinched as each of the animal spirits struck him, staggering him. The Rangers marvelled as Jarrod commanded them forward.

"What's happening?" Theo asked.

"It isn't enough." Lily shrieked. "They're not doing enough damage."

"Just wait." Master Mao stated. "Just watch."

All of a sudden, they saw another animal spirit streak into him, one they hadn't seen before. It was a dolphin. It was followed quickly by a raccoon, and then an eagle.

"Where did they come from?" Theo asked as more and more animal spirits flew through the air from all directions into him, attacking him mercilessly. They looked around, watching as literally millions of animal spirits surged into view from all directions.

"He's not just summoning our animal spirits." RJ gasped as he realised the true extend of the accomplishment. "He's summoning all the animal spirits. Every animal spirit on EARTH!"

Dai Shi's body was stripped away piece by piece as each of the spirits attacked before returning to their true bearers. He howled in agony as he felt his own spirit being chipped away and destroyed a piece at a time, before eventually being reduced to the one animal spirit he still possessed, the Griffon spirit gifted to him by the Phantom Beasts. Jarrod strode forward slowly towards the critically weakened Dai Shi.

"You tortured my friends!" He snarled. "You hurt countless people. You harmed my family and you killed my father! You will never harm anyone, ever again!"

He roared once more, powering up his lion spirit to the limits of its power, before casting it forth, destroying Dai Shi once and for all. The Lion Spirit didn't come back to him though it collapsed and lay on the ground, not moving. Jarrod powered down out of his armour and made his way over to it, placing a hand on it and calling it back.

"Thank you my friend." He whispered as his strength left him. "Now we've made peace for all we've done."

With that, he collapsed face-first to the concrete. Dominic and RJ raced to his side as the others crowded around, observing the fallen Lion Master.

"Jarrod!" Dominic rushed out, turning him onto his back. He placed his ear to his chest and felt his heart freeze solid. "He's not breathing!"

RJ The assembled Rangers and Masters all gathered around their saviour, feeling no joy in their hearts. What should have been a scene of celebration was now one of sorrow as they all willed him to return. Jarrod had destroyed Dai Shi as was his destiny, but it was looking like it might have cost him the ultimate price.

"Come on Jarrod, you can't give up!" Dominic yelled as he and RJ fought to resuscitate him. "Please, I've just got you back, fight this!"

"He's breathing!" RJ announced as they finally managed to re-start his heart. His tone though let them know that he was not out of the woods yet. Dominic picked him up, turning and walking in the direction of the restaurant. They all followed on wordlessly, holding their loved ones for comfort in mutual support of the greatest master of all. The Lion Master.

Later that night, Dominic had laid Jarrod back in his own room, where both RJ and Flit were tending to him. He held his head in his hands as they awaited word on the condition of his brother. Lily came to his side, putting an arm around him.

"He's in good hands." She said as reassuringly as she could. "Flit's even better at this stuff than RJ."

He looked away from her wordlessly, but his eyes said everything that needed to be said. He was terrified that so soon after finding his brother, he was going to lose him. It had taken almost everything Jarrod had to destroy Dai Shi.

"We're all here for him." Lily said softly, holding him tighter. "He's done so much for us; we can't give up on him now."

Dominic looked back to her, pulling his face into her shoulder and took the comfort of her embrace. As she comforted her friend, Lily looked a little sadly at the length of ribbon still tied to her wrist. She had pledged herself to the man she loved only a few hours ago, but right now she couldn't feel further from celebrating.

In his room, Casey and Camille were taking some time alone. Like the others, they were concerned for Jarrod's welfare. Though they had their own reason to be happy, they were sure now wasn't the time to share that joy with the others.

"I wish there was something we could do." Casey sighed. "If it wasn't for Jarrod, I wouldn't have gotten you back."

Camille just nodded wordlessly. She knew that Casey was right Jarrod had been the one to release her from the Phoenix Spirit. If he hadn't done that, she would still be a slave to its power. Now she was free and able to contemplate her future, the future of her family.

"Casey, I'm worried." She said sadly. "I...I'm scared about the baby."

"Why?" He asked before he could stop himself. He looked into her eyes and realised his mistake before she could answer. "Camille, you can't think like that."

"Casey, I can't help it." She sighed. "There are still times I..."

"Camille, you know things were different then." He said softly, placing a hand on her cheek tenderly. "You had a lot of bad stuff going on in your life; it was probably the stress..."

"Casey, I'm just so scared." She murmured, pulling into him. "I don't know if I could go through that again."

"As long as I have anything to do with it you won't." He told her warmly as he held her. "I'll take care of you, I promise. You'll never have to worry about a thing. I love you."

"Really?" She asked him, looking into his eyes. He smiled at her and held up her left hand, presenting the engagement ring to her with a smile.

"Why else would I be marrying you?" He asked her. "I'll introduce you to my mom and my sisters, and then I'll marry you as soon as I can."

"Introducing me to your mother?" Camille laughed gently. "I thought you were trying to cause me less stress."

"You'll be fine. She'll love you." He told her. "I know I do."

With that, they lay back in each others, resting peacefully as they awaited word on Jarrod's condition.

RJ made his way into the main room, causing the others to look up as he did. He shook his head.

"He's still unconscious." He replied sadly. "We won't know anything else until he wakes up."

He saw Lily comforting Dom and felt his disappointment growing. He wished there was more he could do, but right now there was nothing. He saw the ribbon still around her wrist, at which he finally realised that he too had forgotten to remove it. He slipped it sadly from his wrist and put it away in his pocket. As much as he wanted nothing more than to celebrate with Lily, he knew that for Dom's sake it was probably best not to do so.

"I'm afraid we have to go." Master Rilla announced. "Unfortunately, the Spirit World is where we belong now."

"I wish you didn't have to go." Finn said to his wife, taking her hands in his and looking into her eyes. "But I'm glad I got to see you again. You look as beautiful as ever."

"The benefits of not aging." She replied in a chuckle, kissing her husband one last time. "You know we'll see each other again when the time's right."

"I love you." He replied. "I always will."

Master Guinn smiled as she left his side to join Lope and Rilla. They all disappeared in a bright flash, once more returning to the Spirit World. RJ held his dad as a tear rolled down his face. He knew he would see her again, but that didn't make seeing her go any easier.

"Dad, do you have to go too?" Dom asked him, his tears evident. He had only discovered he really had a family a few months ago, but now he was facing the painful prospect of losing them all again as quickly as they had come into his life.

"I'll always be with you both." Mao assured him. "I love you both. I have since the day you were born. If you don't believe me, try hugging Billy again."

"Billy?" He asked.

"Who do you think gave him to you?" He asked as he disappeared. "I'll be watching you, my son."

As he disappeared, Dominic reached a hand out, beckoning him to stay, but Mao already knew he didn't need that support. Flit burst into the main room, his arms flailing in excitement.

"Guys, he woke up!" He screamed. "Come quickly, he woke up!"

Everyone barged into the room, all crowded into the claustrophobic bedroom as he stirred back to full consciousness. Dom forced his way through to the front.

"Are you ok?" He asked him. Jarrod smiled wearily at him.

"I'm better than OK." He whispered, reassured by his humanity. "I'm good."


	20. Celebrate Good Times

The following day, RJ elected not to open the restaurant. They had all been through one hell of a battle, and so none of them were really in any mood, or in any condition to work that day. They were all relieved that Jarrod had regained consciousness, and so they could all just take the time to enjoy the day ahead. RJ woke up to find the other side of his bed empty, though the light under the door of the room let him know that it was most likely that Lily had gotten up and made her way through to the main room. He slowly made his way out to find her in the kitchen, preparing a massive feast. He made his way over to her, making his way past the masters who were setting up a table in the centre of the room.

"What's all this?" He asked gesturing to the massive quantity of food she was cooking as she raced around several pans that were going, and checking the oven where there was already a large quantity of food holding warm.

"We do have eleven people to feed." She reminded him. "Besides, we didn't really get a chance to celebrate last night, so I figured a champagne breakfast would be right up everyone's street."

"That's a great idea Mrs. James." He replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. Lily turned as red as the ribbon she still hadn't removed from her wrist and giggled as he did this. No matter how many times he called her 'Mrs. James', she still loved it. While she was proud of her family, and loved having the name Chilman, she loved it when he called her that, and looked forward to the day she would take his name.

"Well, I kind of pre-empted us needing a little time to celebrate." She told him honestly. "There're a couple of bottles in the fridge. I've had them there since we got Camille and Jarrod back."

"And I thought I was always prepared for any outcome." He laughed. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

"Oh, and I'll be sending a letter out to my dad today, but after that I was thinking we could go down to City Hall." She suggested, turning around and putting her arms around his neck. "I think it's about time we started planning to make this official."

"You don't want to just take a break today?" He asked.

"As much as I love this," she began, gesturing to the ribbon on her wrist, "I can't wait to get my proper wedding ring. This'll do in the meantime."

"We'll go with Theo and Fran later today." He assured her. "Nothing would make me happier." The two of them pulled into a long, deep kiss, becoming completely oblivious to the rest of the apartment as the others assembled, all staring up at them. As they separated, they turned when they felt someone staring at them, seeing all of RJ's assembled guests in the room.

"Awwwwww!" They chorused together. Lily just turned back to the cooking, a little embarrassed as RJ rounded on them laughing.

"OK guys, the show's over." He told them. "How is everyone?"

"Starving." Jarrod replied honestly, arriving in from Dominic's room. "Between comas and fainting fits I haven't eaten in a couple of days."

"Looking forward to going to city hall with you guys." Fran interjected. "I can't believe we finally get to start the ball rolling on wedding plans."

"You won't be saying that when you meet my family." Theo responded. "Luen can be a pain, but my mom and dad are...interesting."

"I'm sure I'll love them." She replied softly.

"Anyway, we're all celebrating, so Theo, Casey why don't you get glasses while I get the champagne."

"11 glasses; got it." Theo responded, making his way to the cupboard.

"Make that 10." Camille interrupted. "I'm not drinking."

"Camille and I have an announcement." Casey chimed in with a huge smile. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her fondly. "We're having a baby!"

"That's great news!" Lily shrieked hugging them both warmly as the others surrounded them, congratulating them on the news of their new family. "Congratulations!"

"We haven't known for long." Casey told them as they finally broke free of the avalanche of hugs and handshakes. "I figured it out last night when my tiger spirit protected her."

Camille's smile slipped slightly as she saw Jarrod holding back. She could understand why he wasn't that enthusiastic about the news. She crossed over to him sympathetically, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" She asked him, looking into his eyes.

"I'll be fine." He whispered, looking back to her. "I'm happy for you, really I am."

"I understand." She said softly. "Thank you Jarrod, it means a lot to me that you can be happy for me."

"You and Casey deserve this." He replied bravely, forcing a smile through the memory of his own lost child. "Congratulations."

"Thanks Jarrod." Casey replied, shaking his hand. "That means a lot."

"Well I think we still have a lot to celebrate." Finn put down as he and Phant arrived, having gone for the glasses themselves. "I say we eat."

"Lily, you sit down. You've put a lot of work into this." Jarrod stated, gesturing to a chair at the table. She and RJ took their places as he headed for the kitchen. "Dom and I will serve."

"Thanks for volunteering me!" He laughed, following him in.

"What do you expect?" He asked. "I do have 21 years of being an annoying little brother to catch up on."

All the others gathered around the tables, while Finn poured glasses of champagne and handed them around. They all now had a lot to look forward to. As Dominic and Jarrod finished bringing through the mountain of food Lily had prepared, Master Phant stood up with his glass in his hand.

"I'd like to propose a toast." He announced. "May the worst days of our future, be as good as the best of our past."

"To the future!" They all chorused together, raising their glasses. As they began their celebratory breakfast, they all looked forward with a renewed excitement. Now was the time to focus on what was important. Their lovers, their friends and their family.

**THREE MONTHS LATER**

The following three months were a hive of activity for the Rangers. So many changes had been made around the restaurant and the Rangers, it was baffling.

Casey, having been able to concentrate on his on-line health and fitness courses had graduated several months early. Looking for something more than a career serving pizzas to support his family, he had spoken to Andrew Hartford and convinced him to forward a loan to buy an old gym gown the street from JKP, and he now lived with Camille in an apartment above the gym. He had converted it into a gym and dojo, a clever cover as he assessed the students in his martial arts classes as to whether they were suitable to send to the temple or not. Meanwhile he was making a good turnover from membership fees, even after he paid his employees.

Camille meanwhile was experiencing the woes of the expectant mother. Constantly groaning about feeling sick or needing to pee, she still looked beautiful to Casey every time he looked at her. She had since met Casey's family, and while him mom wasn't exactly thrilled that he was expecting his first child out-with wedlock, she was satisfied that Camille was good for him. She had supported and encouraged him through all his endeavours, and he was a much stronger and more focussed person as a result. Although at times she looked at herself in the mirror and thought she was hideous because of her rapidly-increasing waist-line, he woke up every morning with a hug, a kiss and a reassurance of how beautiful she was to him. Despite all the suffering, she looked forward to the arrival of their child. She loved the way Casey made her feel, and the way he snapped into action to provide for his family. Although his mom was pushing for them to marry before the birth of their baby, they resisted so that they could spare money for its needs. She didn't need paper to tell her Casey was with her for good, the way he kissed her belly every morning before he went down to the gym told her all she'd ever need to know.

Theo in the mean time had concentrated his efforts in supporting Fran. It wasn't that he wasn't ambitious, he just wasn't as worried about his self-image any more; he was more concerned with ensuring Fran got what she deserved than his own ego. He had moved into an apartment with her shortly after Dai Shi had been destroyed and he loved every second of it. He now split his time between working in the restaurant and teaching classes in Casey's gym while he supported Fran in her studies. She was everything to him, and he was doing everything he could for his foxy lady.

Fran had always regretted not having the opportunity to go to college, but now that she had Theo supporting her, she was finally able to pursue her dreams of an academic career. Having always loved books, she had began studying literature, but quickly decided what she wanted more than anything was to encourage others to love the written word as much as she did, and so had switched her major from literature to teaching. More than anything she wanted to become a teacher. She loved kids, and always had. She now had a calling that she wanted to follow. Meanwhile she also continued to train. She still trained mainly with Theo, but since knowing the Masters, she had decided that she also wanted to train under Lily. She was progressing impressively, and everyone was proud of her, but more than anything, she was proud of herself. She was finally getting the chance to be the kind of woman she'd always wanted to be.

Lily enjoyed her new way of life. Since the others had moved out, she now had a lot more time alone with RJ to enjoy "married" life. She mainly split her time between helping Fran with her training and working in the restaurant. She still wore the ribbon around her wrist, swearing she would only remove it for good once she was given her real wedding ring. More than anything, she was happy that she and Fran could finally focus on preparing for the double wedding.

RJ meanwhile was, unsurprisingly, still working in the restaurant. He had since found somewhere nearby for Flit to live, but was thankful for his help since half of his workforce had upped and left following their Ranger days. He'd never really taken much notice of how much work he'd done running the place single-handed before they arrived, but now that they were gone, he finally appreciated how much they took the load off his shoulders. He was excited to think of how she was soon going to be his wife officially. He'd almost given up on the prospect of finding his "special someone", but since meeting Lily and coming to love her, he knew where his heart did, and always would lie.

Jarrod meanwhile had made the biggest change in his life. Leaving Jungle Karma altogether, he had eventually been convinced by Master Mao and Dominic where his destiny lay. He had only ever really felt at home at Pai Zhuq. It was the only place he'd ever felt like he had a family, and so it made sense for him to go back there. He'd taken some convincing at first, doubting himself because of his long months as Dai Shi's vessel, but he had finally been convinced that as the most powerful of all the Pai Zhuq, his place was at the temple, replacing his father as the head trainer. The Lion really had come a long way, and now stood as king of the jungle. Not because he wanted it, but because he deserved it.

Dom had also elected to go back to the temple with Jarrod. Finally having a family, he was eager to keep it together in any way he could. Jarrod had only accepted the position his father had once occupied on condition that Dominic also became a trainer at the temple. Using the wisdom he'd acquired through his years of travel and his experiences as a Ranger, Dominic taught the students using the same determination and focus that had finally brought his brother back to him. They both loved their new life, and Casey regularly alerted them whenever he felt like one of his students was showing promise as a student.

Dominic was taking the latest initiates through their early morning exercise regimen with a satisfied smile on his face. They were all progressing as he had hoped, and more than anything he was enjoying training them. He didn't even notice as his brother arrived behind him. He first became aware as his students immediately stopped what they were doing to come to attention and bowed to him out of respect for Master Leo.

"You really ought to stop doing that." Dominic told him in a chuckle as Jarrod returned the gesture. "I never heard you."

"Well I'm a lion." He reminded him. "Stealth's more my thing than yours rhino boy."

"Yeah, and as a lion sitting on your ass all day while the women do all the work is more in your nature Jarrod." He replied, ruffling his little brother's hair. "Anyway, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Dom, it's time." He said, tapping his watch. Dom looked at his own watch to confirm this.

"Class dismissed." He announced, allowing the students to leave. "The academy will be closed for the next few days, so spend the time with your families and keep practicing."

"We will Master Tusk." They chorused back, before leaving to gather their belongings. He smiled as he watched them leave.

"I can't believe the wedding's here already." He commented.

"I can't believe RJ made you his best man." Jarrod laughed in response. "I bet you've already lost the rings."

"Only once." He grumbled, shoving Jarrod away. He loved his closer relationship with Jarrod. They had both been alone for so much of their lives that it felt good to have that connection. They'd both had friends before, but it didn't compare to family.

"Come on, it's time to get ready." He reminded him as he walked away. "The bachelor party starts in a couple of hours."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world!" He chuckled. "So where do you think we're going? Casino? Strip joint?"

"Please, we're talking about Theo and RJ here. Lily and Fran have them well warned." Jarrod stated, putting an arm around his shoulders.

"And?" Dominic asked. "You think that's going to stop them?"

"Well Casey is organising things." Jarrod agreed. "Let the carnage begin."

Meanwhile back at JKP, RJ and Theo had just left as the girls prepared for their bachelorette party. Lily and Fran were elated as the first of their guests arrived.

"Kira!" Lily gushed as she opened the door to the older woman, hugging her warmly. She scooped up Frank in her arms. "I guess it was too much to expect Tommy to take the kids.

"Kids kind of do that." She replied. "And given what happened at our own wedding, it's probably for the best the kids are with us."

"What happened?" Fran asked her.

"Let's just say we both spent the night in hospital." She giggled in response. "I still haven't gotten Jason back for crippling him the night before the wedding."

"Jason?" Fran asked.

"The original Red." She explained. "They've been best friends since high school, but any time they get together it's like watching a kindergarten class."

"Well Emma and Frank are adorable!" Lily gushed. "They'll look so cute in their outfits for the wedding."

"I can't wait to have some of my own." Fran commented. "They're so amazing."

"Try having one using your bladder as a kickball." Camille stated, announcing her arrival. She had gotten more than a little noticeably bigger as a result of her pregnancy. She waddled over to the couch to give her back some much-needed relief as she came into the room. "I swear if women knew how much torture went into having a kid they'd never have any."

"You're preaching to the choir!" Kira announced, holding up a hand. "Why do you think Tommy and I stopped at two?"

"Am I late?" they heard from the door. Lily's face lit up as she saw her father for the first time since he'd shipped back out to the middle-east. "You look beautiful honey."

"Dad!" She shrieked as she rushed up to him, hugging him excitedly. Megan and the kids arrived shortly afterwards.

"Jack's growing up!" She announced, seeing her half-brother almost half a foot taller than the last time she'd seen him. "And how's my baby sister?"

"Stephanie's getting bigger too." Megan replied, handing her to Lily. She noticeably lit up as she cradled her half-sister in her arms. "She's adorable when she's not pooping or screaming blue murder."

"Don't give her any ideas!" Michael barked as he sat down. "I'm nowhere near ready to be called grandpa!"

"Come on dad, you know it'll happen eventually." She replied. "Besides, you have the pleasure of being designated babysitter."

"How'd I end up with that gig?" He asked in a laugh.

"Well as father of the bride, you're the only male allowed at the bachelorette party." She reminded her father. "You do the maths!"

"Hey there, are there a couple of expectant brides in here?" Ronny yelled as she and Rose arrived, carrying bottles of champagne. "I heard there was a party!"

"You found the right place." Fran chuckled. "I heard you have some big news."

"Mack just turned up with a priest one day and told me we were getting married!" She explained as she pointed to her ring finger. "It was so romantic, I had no idea he planned that until I saw my folks walk into the room."

"And Will proposed on our holiday shortly after we were acquitted." Rose told them, presenting her own engagement ring. "I guess we'll be enjoying this excitement some time soon."

"I couldn't be more thrilled for you both!" Fran stated. "Now, shall we get started?"

They all congregated in the main room as they prepared to celebrate the last night either of them would be a "free woman".

Meanwhile in Casey's Gym, Theo and RJ arrived, having picked up Luen from the airport.

"They're all here!" Mack roared, holding up a beer bottle. "To the condemned men!"

Everyone other than the new arrivals roared in response as he said this. RJ just rolled his eyes.

"I thought you guys would have waited." He commented. "It is only 11 AM!"

"Well it's not like we plan on driving anywhere." Will stated. "So, how does the last day of freedom feel?"

"Like it'll be the longest day ever." Theo replied, accepting a beer. "I can't wait till tomorrow."

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" They all chorused.

"As long as it's nothing like my bachelor party we'll be fine." Tommy announced as he arrived in the room carrying a bottle of champagne. "Now how about we start making sure the condemned men earn their hangovers?"

Theo and RJ just turned to each other and smiled. They knew that tonight was a "guy's night", but tomorrow was the day they really looked forward to.


	21. The Wedding

The next morning, Fran was awake bright and early. Her excitement had made it pretty much impossible to sleep. She couldn't believe the big day was finally here. She'd already styled her hair for the ceremony, though she hadn't yet gotten into her dress. She was far too busy making the assembled guests some breakfast. Megan came into the kitchen behind her as she looked out some pancake mix.

"Sweet tooth huh?" She asked. "I remember I ate the biggest stack of waffles ever before my wedding. I was on a sugar rush all day!"

"Well I didn't sleep well, so I could probably use it." She responded, pouring some batter into the frying pan and running it around to form the first of many. "I've also got the coffee pot on."

"That's probably a good idea." Lily yawned as she came into the room with her father. "I swear I must have only slept about an hour. I must look like a fright!"

"A shower and some makeup and you'll be fine." Megan assured her. "Trust me; almost nobody sleeps the night before their wedding."

"Just remember to enjoy it." Michael said with a bright smile. "It'll be the most amazing day of your life."

"I just wish I had some guests to invite." Fran sighed, turning out the first of the pancakes. "I know you guys are my family and everything, but it would just be nice to have some people there from my side of the family."

"It'll be fine Fran." Lily assured her, putting an arm around her. "We're all here for you."

"Besides, if your mom can't be happy for you, that's her loss." Michael told her.

"Michael, I was wondering. Would you mind giving me away?" Fran asked him. "I mean, my own dad isn't able to be there, not that I'd want him there if he was alive and..."

"Breathe Fran!" He said warmly, taking amusement in her usual nervous rambling. "I'd be honoured to."

"Hey guys, how is everyone?" Kira asked as she arrived in the room with the twins. "Getting nervous yet?"

"I'm just about keeping it together." Lily replied, taking a long gulp of coffee. "Of course another couple of dozen of these on top of those pancakes and you'll probably have to peel me off the ceiling."

"I'm kind of nervous too." Fran admitted.

"Just think about the honeymoon." Ronny told them as she and Rose came in from the other room. "I know that's what got me through my ceremony."

"Where'd Mack take you?" Lily asked her. Unfortunately she and Mack had gotten married while the Jungle Fury Rangers were still busy with Dai Shi, and so they had missed it. They regretted not being there for her on her big day, but at least she was able to be there for them.

"Monaco." Ronny replied.

"I should have known." Lily giggled in response. "I guess you were there in time for the Grand Prix."

"I sure was." Ronny told her. "It was great!"

"Well RJ's taking me to Hawaii." Lily chirped happily. "I've always wanted to go since I was a kid. It's one of the few places dad was never stationed."

"Theo's taking me too." Fran added quickly. "I'm really looking forward to it."

"Let's just hope the guys didn't have too wild a time last night." Lily stated. "If RJ's hung over, he's getting no sympathy from me."

"Well you weren't drinking last night." Fran recalled. "I guess you didn't want to risk it."

"I've waited a long time for this." She said warmly. "I wasn't going to risk it for anything."

"Guys, come quickly!" Camille yelled excitedly as she came into the room, cradling her abdomen. She was smiling broadly. "The baby just moved!"

They all gathered around her, holding their hands on her stomach as they felt her baby kicking. This was just the perfect way to begin what was sure to be an exciting day.

Meanwhile over at Casey's apartment, RJ came into the living room finding Casey and the others preparing for the day ahead.

"How's the head?" Dominic asked him, seeing the somewhat green tinge to RJ's complexion. They hadn't gotten out of hand or anything, but it was obvious that RJ had enjoyed rather a little too much drink on his last night of freedom. He wasn't much of a drinker usually, and so he was suffering as a result of his uncharacteristically long drinking session the night before.

"Trust me, I feel better than Theo." He chuckled. "He really is a lightweight."

"Well he is a lot smaller than the rest of us." Casey reminded him. "Will he be alright?"

"A few hours sleep, a shower and a Co-coda mol and he'll be back in the land of the living." He assured them as he poured himself some coffee.

"I can't believe someone's finally making an honest man out of you." Master Finn announced. "When are Luen and Theo's parents getting here?"

"They said they'd meet us at the registry office." RJ told him. "They travelled through the night to get here."

"Well Luen better. I doubt Theo will be impressed if his best-man's late." Casey interjected as Will, Mack and Dax arrived in the room.

"You survived then!" Will chuckled, seeing the rather unhealthy shade of RJ's skin.

"I did indeed." He confirmed. "Though I will admit that now I know why I don't drink much."

"How's Theo?" Mack asked him. "He certainly seemed to enjoy himself."

"Well he'll be suffering when he finally wakes up." Casey stated bluntly. "Speak of the devil!"

"Do you guys have to talk so loud?" He complained weakly as he accepted a cup of coffee from the Red Ranger. "I have a headache!"

"Well that's what happens." Tommy said rather unsympathetically. "I remember having one hell of a hangover. At least you didn't sprain your ankle like I did."

"Well, we're all here and in one piece." RJ said pragmatically. "Now, I could go for some breakfast."

Michael knocked the door to Lily's bedroom gently as the time for the ceremony drew nearer.

"Lily, it's me." He announced. "Can I come in?"

"I'm ready." She called through the door. Michael came in slowly as Kira was finishing helping Lily and Fran get ready. She'd learned her lesson from the last time, and so had sought help to get into her dress.

He couldn't believe his eyes as he looked at her. She looked so much like her mother; it was as if he was living the day of his first wedding all over again. Lily stood before him, looking absolutely beautiful in the wedding dress he'd sent to her all those months ago.

"Lily you look beautiful." He complimented his daughter, seeing her dressed for her wedding. "You both do."

"Thank you." Lily replied as she hugged her father warmly. "I can't believe it's almost time."

"You're almost ready there guys." Kira interjected, handing Lily her veil. "RJ and Theo are really lucky."

"I agree." Michael stated. "I'm sure they'll make you very happy."

"Well he managed to win you over." Lily sniggered.

"Well if he can manage that, then looking after you will be easy." He replied. "You deserve to be happy. Both of you do."

"Anyway, the car will be outside shortly." Kira reminded them. "Are you both ready?"

Lily and Fran looked at each other, both certain of their convictions. They knew that their destinies now lay with the men in their hearts.

"We're ready." Fran responded. "Let's go and get our husbands Mrs. James."

"After you Mrs. Martin." Lily replied, gesturing to the door.

Meanwhile the guys had already arrived at the registry office, nervously waiting for their brides. RJ fidgeted uncomfortably as he waited for news of the girls.

"Hey there guys!" Ronny announced as she arrived with Rose, Megan and the kids. "You're all looking great!"

"Yeah, suits aren't really my thing." RJ commented, fidgeting with his collar. "I never did feel comfortable in a tux."

"Well it's not like you have to wear it for very long." Theo reminded him. "Just think of all that time on the beach with Lily when we get to Hawaii."

"What do you think is getting me through this?" RJ asked him. "Dom?"

"For the millionth time YES! I have the ring!" He groaned. "Just like I had it thirty seconds ago!"

"You don't need to worry Theo." Luen told his twin brother reassuringly. "Everything's under control, all you have to do is stand there and wait for them."

"Are you sure they're ready?" RJ asked nervously. "I mean they were meant to be here..."

"The bride's always a little late." The registrar assured him. "Would you both please take your place in the main hall?"

The assembled guests started to file slowly into the main hall of the registrar's office, each taking their available seats. RJ and Theo took their place at the front of the hall, standing before the plinth as they waited for Lily and Fran to arrive. Dominic and Luen took their places by their side, all facing forward.

The limo arrived outside, carrying the bridal party. Lily, Fran, Camille, Kira and Michael got slowly out of the car as they prepared to make their way down the aisle.

"I'll just go in and put the guys out of their misery." Kira stated, making her way inside.

"I'll join you." Camille chipped in. "My back is killing me!"

"Don't worry; the service shouldn't take too long." Kira assured her as they made their way inside. Michael took one last second to prepare for his role in the wedding.

"Lily, you know I love you, and that I'm proud of you." He told her. "Your mother would be proud too."

He then turned to Fran. He'd talked to her before and had some idea of her less-than-ideal family situation, and so he had agreed to take on the role of her surrogate father for the ceremony.

"I know that this isn't ideal, but I just wanted you to know that I'm proud to give you away." He told her. "I have no idea why your family treated you the way they did, but you can rest assured that you are a beautiful and amazing young woman, and that I am proud to accept the honour of giving you away."

"Thank you Mr. Chilman." She replied. He pulled them both in, hugging them tenderly as he prepared to take them down the aisle.

"So are we all ready?" He asked them.

"Never more so." Lily replied.

"Let's go." Fran added. Taking Lily on his left arm and Fran on his right, he led them up the aisle.

"They're just outside." Kira informed the registrar as she took her place next to RJ.

"Would you like a chair?" The registrar asked Camille, seeing her advanced state of pregnancy. It was no longer uncommon for those attending a wedding to already be heavily pregnant, so she had some idea of the plight of an expectant mother being forced to stand for long periods.

"Thank you." Camille gasped in relief. Her back was far from her friend as she stood there. Casey was only too happy to bring a chair over for his fiancée. Camille gratefully accepted the chair, finally getting some respite from the pain in her lower back.

As the music began to play, RJ and Theo turned back to see their brides coming towards them and smiled. Theo couldn't care less about his hangover, and RJ's discomfort at wearing his tux melted away into nothing as they arrived at the front of the room. Lily took RJ's hands as Michael released his daughter into his care. Fran did the same thing with Theo. Seeing the brides arrive in position the Registrar began the ceremony.

Fran couldn't believe her luck as she finally got to share her first kiss with her husband following the ceremony. Her parents' cruelty had left her feeling worthless for so long she never felt like she deserved to have anyone to care about her, but now Theo had officially taken her from her old life. She was honoured to take his surname. She wanted nothing to do with her old life, not any more. All that mattered to her now was her future with her husband.

Lily never even noticed the huge cheer going up from their guests as she was announced as Mrs. Lily James. The only thing in the room she could concentrate on was RJ. She finally removed the ribbon from her wrist, having now been given her true wedding ring. Her life with him was only beginning.

The following morning, Lily rushed around the apartment getting her luggage together. They had enjoyed their reception the night before; she was overcome with excitement at the thought of finally getting to go on her honeymoon with him. RJ got up, taking amusement in her frenzied preparations.

"You know we do have a few hours before we have to get to the airport." He reminded her.

"Well you might like to leave everything to the last minute, but I don't!" She muttered, gathering her clothing. "I'd just like to make sure we have everything."

"Lily, calm down." He laughed, wrapping his arms around her. "We'll be fine."

"I just can't help it." She moaned. "I can't wait!"

"Well we have a whole fortnight to enjoy Hawaii." He reminded her. "Just now though, I thought you'd like to come back to bed."

"Is that all you think about?" She asked him, flashing him a bright smile. He couldn't help feeling good about having her here with him now, his beautiful wife.

"Well when I get to wake up next to you every morning what do you expect?" He asked her. Lily kissed him passionately as they enjoyed their time alone together. She couldn't wait until she got to the island. More than anything she loved the thought of spending time with him. It had been a long time coming, but she was finally able to prepare for their lives together.

"I got you something." She told him.

"You got me a present?" He asked with a smile. Lily opened the drawer of her bedside table, pulling out a small package and handing it to him.

"Open it." She beckoned him. "I think you'll like it."

RJ tore open the paper, finding a canvas bag inside. Unravelling it completely, he was a little puzzled. It took him a second to realise what it was. She had bought him a papoose.

"Lily?" He asked, smiling a little. She just nodded to confirm his suspicion. She had found out herself a couple of days ago, but rather than being nervous, she was excited. She was going to have his baby.

RJ lifted her up into his arms, cradling her warmly. He had always loved kids, and he was thrilled at the prospect of becoming a father. Sure he had kind of thought they'd get a little more time to themselves before starting a family, but he couldn't be disappointed at hearing the news.

"Does anyone else know?" He asked her.

"I haven't told anyone yet." She replied. "I wanted you to be the first to know."

RJ couldn't be happier. He never suspected anything could compete with the way he felt when Lily had said 'I do', but she had given him the most precious gift she ever could. She had given him a family.

Fin.


End file.
